


The Sound of My Heart

by mrspadrona



Series: The 'Auana Club [9]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, First Love, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Such a slow burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-06
Updated: 2017-03-05
Packaged: 2018-09-06 22:00:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 45
Words: 142,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8770981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrspadrona/pseuds/mrspadrona
Summary: Grace Williams-McGarrett was going to be a motocross athlete, winning endorsement deals for a few years before she went to college and got a degree in Business Management (or Engineering, she wasn't sure which yet). Then she went to New Jersey with her Danno and she met a Wolf that stole her heart.Dominic "Wolfie" Robustelli was a Prospect for the 1% MC Big Red Machine in Newark. He was well on his way to being patched in, thanks in large part to his dedication to the Club and it's President, Red. When he was assigned a protection detail for the daughter of the most well known badasses in Machine history, he figured it'd be an easy gig. Boring, but easy.Then he met her and he knew he was done forever.This is the story of how a Monkey went to Newark to bring her Wolf to Hawaii.





	1. Chapter 1

Grace Williams-McGarrett was annoyed as she packed up her bags and got ready to be picked up and taken to Newark International. She understood, of course, the reason why her Dad was sending her back to Hawaii and she didn’t want to cause any more stress than he was already going through but it still hurt. Danno was still in and out of consciousness, Uncle Red was dead and she was going to miss both Danno waking up (because he was going to wake up) and Uncle Red’s funeral. It had been years since she’d seen him but he had always been like a grandpa for her, like with giving her a vest of her own (she wouldn’t call it a cut because that was reserved for patch members) and her bike! He was a good man, despite what he did in his life and he’d always taken care of everyone around him. 

If she were being honest with herself, a tiny part of her was upset to be leaving because of Wolfie. She knew it was selfish and it made her feel kinda bad but he made her belly feel funny and she liked being around him. He wasn’t like the other 1%ers she knew (age aside) and when it was just the six of them together, he was funny and goofy and smart. But the Wolfpack (yes, that was going to be their name to her) was in Newark and that wasn’t about to change. They had lives here; bikes, girlfriends, homes and jobs. They were gonna patch into the Machine. And Grace belonged in Hawaii. Her school, her friends and her Ohana were there. But a tiny part of her was ok with being a little selfish at feeling like the little sister that was being left behind. (OK, more than a sister in one case but that was a non-issue right now. She had motocross and plans for her future that did not involve boys right now. Especially boys that were four years older than she was). 

When she heard the car pull up out front, she went downstairs where Dad was waiting. She tried to plaster a smile onto her face because she didn’t want to upset him or let him know how upset she was; he had enough to deal with.

“I love you, Grace. You know that, yeah?”

“I do, Dad. And I love you too. I’ll be okay, I promise. I know to be aware of my surroundings and that I have to notify the airline staff that I’m an unaccompanied minor because I’m still not 15 yet.”

At this, her father got a funny smile on his face and she looked up at him, tilting her head sideways.

“Am I not a minor or am I not unaccompanied?”

“Exactly how much stuff did you put into this suitcase? Half the house?” A voice from behind her exclaimed and she turned to see Hook hefting her suitcase. She looked back at her Dad and then out to the car.

“You’re sending Hook with me?” She asked excitedly. Hook meant she didn’t have to be alone on the plane, didn’t have to declare herself unaccompanied minor and they could talk about the modifications she wanted to make to her bike at home.

“You really think for a second I’d let him go anywhere without the rest of us, Grace? You know how he gets around large groups of people. He’s liable to go rabid without us.” That was Shakespeare and Grace’s whole face lit up. He’d said ‘the rest of us’ which could only mean the ENTIRE Wolfpack … Wolfie included.

“I’ve had my shots, I’m pretty sure I’d be safe but it’s better to bring you along in case someone else isn’t up to date.” Grace shot back, giggling as Hook gnashed his teeth playfully. She turned back to her Dad and he had a look on his face. She heard Shakespeare and Hook walk out the door and her Dad led her over to the couch.

“Grace, I need to talk to you.”

She got nervous and bit her lip. Was he going to tell her something bad about Danno? Is that why he was sending her home, so she wouldn’t see him getting worse?

“I know it’s normal to … uhh … well, you’re getting to be older and it’s sometimes a little confusing about … uhh … boys and …”

“Dad, are you trying to have the talk with me?” Grace flushed so red she could feel her heartbeat in her forehead.

“I saw you and Wolfie at the clinic Grace and I know your Danno talked to you about … stuff. But I want to repe …” 

“Dad, stop. Seriously, we can save ourselves both the embarrassment.” He was looking away from her and his pupils were dilating. 

“Grace, this is important. You’re a growing girl and you’re going to have feelings and sometimes those feelings can make you do things that feel good in the moment.”

“Seriously Dad.” She was alarmed by how red his face had gotten and the sweat that was breaking out on his forehead.

She reached out to put her hands on his and he jerked in response, looking up at her. She recognized his “Survival Mode” face. He was compartmentalizing and trying to approach this like a mission from his SEAL days.

“Daddy, I’m fourteen years old and I know how to protect myself from almost anything and how to be aware of my surroundings at all times to fend off almost anything or anyone. My Auntie Kono taught me how to knee a guy in the junk when I was 10. That being said, I’m also a fourteen year old girl that has a career in mind and goals that I want to achieve. Not to mention I’m the daughter of two of the most terrifyingly badass men on the planet. You’re having this conversation with me so I’m betting you already had it with Wolfie. So he’s probably afraid to even look at me, let alone try anything else. I’m not saying I’m not interested because I am. But I’m more focused than just my hormones. And I don’t think there’s enough room on the plane to do anything so we’re pretty safe, SuperSEAL.” Grace explained, watching his face go from DEFCON 2 down to DEFCON 4, which was his normal status. The sweat was still on his forehead but the crease between his eyebrows had eased and he was no longer fidgeting, which was a good sign.

“I love you Dad. I love that you worry about me and that you take care of me but just this once, I promise there is very little to worry about. I’m like their kid sister who tags along when they go out to play baseball. Annoyingly adorable but ultimately tolerable.” Grace teased, giving her Dad her biggest, cheesiest smile. He relaxed a little further and reached out to pull her into a hug.

“I trust you, you know that, right? This isn’t about trust.”

“Nope, it’s about making sure I never get cooties. Boys have cooties, Daddy, don’t you know that?” She giggled out as she kissed his cheek. “I’m glad you trust me but seriously, it’s 10 hours to Hawaii on a plane and then they’ll be right on their way back here.”

“Not exactly.”

Grace’s heart fluttered in her chest and she held her breath. Did he really just say what she thought he’d said? 

“They are going to stay on Oahu for a while. Since they are more familiar with people associated with the threat, they are going to stick by you.”

“So you’re still Grace of the Wolves Who Are Going To Be Late For Their Plane.” came a voice from behind them and Grace laughed as she squeezed her Dad tight one more time.

“Because I’m sure you don’t know at least 7 shortcuts, 5 of which are marginally legal, to get from here to the airport?” She looked over at Wolfie and challenged.

“Only 4 are marginally legal. The other 3 … let’s hope the neighbors don’t mind their yard being torn up.” He winked as he came over and offered his hand to her Dad. She couldn’t believe it. Not only was he accompanying her on the plane but he was remaining in Hawaii with her! 

‘Play cool Grace. Don’t be a dork.’ She kept repeating in her head, wishing for a minute that she’d put on something nicer than her boardies and SEALs t-shirt she stole from her Dad.

Turned out, Wolfie knew 8 shortcuts, none of them remotely legal and they made it to the airport with 90 minutes to spare. Everyone in the truck agreed to never tell Danno or Steve anything about the drive to the airport.

***

As it turned out, they all managed to get seats next to each other and they took up an entire row of seats on the plane. Grace was corralled so that she was sitting next to the window, with Wolfie to her right and Shiny on the other side of him. She tried to switch with Shiny so she could have the aisle seat and was summarily voted down by both Shiny and Wolfie. 

“You’re safer on the inside.”

“It’s a plane guys. Where could I possibly go?”

“I’d rather not find out. Your Dad scares me and your father is … no. You stay there where at least 2 of us are in the way of anyone and anything.” Wolfie said with finality. 

“What about the seats behind me. I mean, someone could easily reach over the seat and drug me or they could slip a knife between the seats.” Grace could be evil when she wanted to be. She smirked as she watched the dawning terror on Wolfie’s face as he turned swiftly around to check out the row behind them.

“I think we can get put at the back of the plan …”

“Dominic, relax. I’m teasing you. Nothing’s going to happen and we’re going to spend 10 hours cramped together and then arrive in the most perfect place in the world.” Grace smiled at him and rested her head gently against his shoulder for a moment before turning to look out the window. Her heart was slamming in her chest and her palms were sweaty with the slight contact. She breathed in what he smelled like and realized it was pine and leather with a little bit of gunpowder. She tucked the scent away in her memory and settled in her seat, waiting for takeoff. And if her hand and his happened to brush against each other from time to time over the next ten hours, it was simply because he was a giant and they were in cramped quarters.

***

“Holy fuck, does it smell like this ALL the time?” Shakespeare was making a face like someone had shoved his nose in sulphuric eggs.

“Yep. Aloha, Wolfpack. Welcome to my home.” Grace said, grinning and leading the way towards baggage claim. She kept her eye out for Uncle Chin because her father had told her that’s who would be meeting them at the airport. For some reason, he’d been pretty adamant about it ONLY being Uncle Chin that she go with and she was a little nervous what that meant. Normally it would be whoever in the Club happened to be closest to the airport at the time but if Daddy said it was Uncle Chin, that’s who she’d look for. As usual, baggage claim was a nightmare of tourists and locals coming home so Wolfie asked her to stand against the windows with Hook and Tech while the rest of them got their bags. She kept scanning the crowd, looking for Uncle Chin and smiled when she finally spotted him a little down the walkway. She waved to get his attention and he came down to where they were standing. It was so good to see him again and she hugged him tight, feeling his relaxed body wrap around hers. No matter what, Uncle Chin was always able to make her feel relaxed. 

“You boys must be Grace’s Honor Guard. I’m Chin Ho Kelly, President ‘Auana out of Honolulu.” Chin extended his hand towards Tech, then Hook and then the rest as they approached with the bags. 

“When SuperSEAL called to tell me you were kidnapping Prospects, I have to admit I’m a little proud of you, Ali’i. Always bring people to the island that can improve it.” Uncle Chin said, smiling at the group. 

“It’s not kidnapping if they came along willingly. Then it’s more like … coerced vacationing.” Shakespeare offered with a grin. Everyone laughed as they made their way out to the Arrivals area. 

“I wasn’t sure how many bags you were bringing so I borrowed your Dad’s truck, just in case. Looks like that was a smart move on my part.” Chin started towards her Dad’s big blue Suburban, where Gutches, Lou and Meka were all standing and waiting. Grace smiled wide and dashed over to Gutches, who swung her up and hugged her before passing her to Meka and then Lou. Introductions were made and Chin got into the truck while Gutches and Lou got on their bikes. Meka was in the truck and then the Prospects climbed in. 

Wolfie was in the front seat with Chin while Grace was in the back, between Meka and Hook. She breathed deep and closed her eyes, so happy to be home. 

“Are we going straight to your house Uncle Chin or can we stop somewhere?” Grace had an idea and suddenly it was all she could think of.

“Depends on what you’re thinking.” Chin looked in the rearview mirror at her, eyebrows up in question.

“While we were in Jersey, Freckles here tried to give me this vile thing called a Jersey Breakfast Dog. I thought maybe we could stop for shave ice so he’d know what good food is?”

Chin laughed and nodded his head. “I heard about the Jersey Breakfast Dog. Your Danno was ranting about your “ruined heritage” when you wouldn’t even try it.”

“It’s a traditional food of New Jersey. You should have tried at least a bite. It’s polite, you know.” Shiny teased.

“Can I change my mind, Uncle Chin. Instead of shave ice, can we go for some poi and poke?” Grace smiled viciously. 

“Grace, have I taught you nothing?” Meka asked. “You never offer poi and poke while they’re still suffering jet lag. You let them get their tastebuds back first THEN you hit them with the double punch.”

Grace fist-bumped Uncle Meka and nodded. “I’ll remember that for next time.”

“I don’t know what poi is but it doesn’t sound all that appetizing. I think I’ll skip that one.” Wolfie said from the front seat, his face trying to keep from smiling. 

“Brah, if you was smart, you’d take the poi and skip the poke. Just sayin …” Meka warned with a grin.

“What IS poke?” Wolfie asked.

“Raw fish salad. Sometimes it’s ahi, sometimes it’s he’e. If you’re really lucky, you get aku.” 

Grace couldn’t stop the giggle as Wolfie’s mouth turned lower and lower with every mention. 

“Can we stick with Spam and pineapples instead?” He asked and Meka broke out in a grin.

“Hey, you found a good one Gracie. He knows about Spam!”

She most certainly did not blush at the idea that he was hers in any way, shape, or form. But she did notice the back of his neck was a slight pink that had nothing to do with sun exposure.  



	2. Chapter 2

The easy banter was familiar, if the voices weren’t. The teasing seemed to go hand in hand with every club and combined with what he was fast realizing was Grace’s razor sharp wit, it was just like being in Newark. Except it was really … bright. And colourful. Wolfie stared out the window of the truck as the President drove them through the city, mentally mapping out the roads even as he admired the newness of everything. Newark was a great city with fantastic architecture but Newark was old and gray, even on it’s best days. Here, in Honolulu, everything seemed to swarm with colour and there wasn’t anything gray to be seen. Now that he’d laid eyes on the city, he could see why Grace would be at home here. She was just as vibrant as the city itself.

He couldn’t see her from where he’d been shuffled into the front seat (yes, he’d known he was being shuffled and he’d noticed the look the President had given him. He had a feeling there would be another “talk” coming soon) but he could hear her voice and he could still feel the tingle on his hand from where they’d brushed together on the plane ride. Both he and Grace shared the “Newark” trait of not being able to talk or tell a story unless their hands were in constant motion. And whenever either of them were making a point or got excited about something, there was a need to touch … to reach out and connect with another person. And he found himself doing that with Grace quite a bit; at least as much as he did with any of the guys (okay, maybe slightly more). He felt the blush creep up his neck when Meka implied he was Grace’s and decided changing the subject was in order.

“Grace was telling us on the plane that your clubhouse is just finishing up being rebuilt. If there’s anything me or the guys can do while we’re here, please let us know. We appreciate the hospitality.” Wolfie addressed Chin.

“Yeah, we’re just finishing the last bits of paint and then we can finally move back in. The fire hurt but in a way it was a good thing because it gave us the chance to expand larger than we were. The way the club had been built the first time, expanding would have been a difficult and dangerous project but with nothing to worry about structurally, we could build the way we wanted. And we were able to salvage some important things from the first club that still make it feel like home. I appreciate the offer, I’m sure we’ll wrangle you into something. For now, after ten hours on a plane I would bet you all could go for a good meal and a hot shower.” Chin replied and Wolfie admired the steadfastness of the man driving. He exuded calm and relaxation, nothing like Red, who’d been gruff and loud … but Wolfie could see the same depth of character in each man. 

Suddenly, Wolfie needed to just breathe. Red was gone and he was halfway around the world from his funeral and ride-out to honor him. He didn’t even have his ride here to find some peace. He wasn’t even sure what time it was in Newark right now, what the difference was. Looking at his phone, the clock had automatically adjusted to Honolulu time already and he felt a little lost. A warm hand from the seat behind him settled on his shoulder and he looked over to see Freckles’ distinct hand with the claddaugh tattoo. He squeezed Wolfie’s shoulder, like he knew what was going on in his head. It was entirely possible … of the six of them, he and Freckles had been friends the longest, going back almost 2nd grade and there were times when each of them knew the other just needed a minute. 

“So I’m gonna ask the obvious question here.” Leave it to Shakespeare to be the obvious one. “Is there even a remote possibility that there might be a ride I can use while we’re here?”

Meka laughed and Wolfie shook his head, chuckling. The question had come to his own mind but he had wanted to wait until they were settled and had some food in them.

“As it happens, brah, a certain SEAL did say somethin about you needin wheels. Don’t you worry, we got you covered. Cuz it ain’t like I don’t love you Ali’i, but I ain’t got zero interest in runnin you up to Kahuku every day.” Meka was laughing and he heard Grace join in, her giggle bright.

“I don’t need to go up to Uncle Mamo’s every day. I mean, I’d like to but I don’t have to. Believe it or not Uncle Meka, I do know the world doesn’t actually revolve around me when I’m outside competition season.” She replied with a teasing tone. He couldn’t help himself, he had to see her.

Wolfie turned in his seat to catch sight of her and she happened to be looking at him at the same moment. His heart double-thumped in his chest, seeing the pure happiness that glowed around her. He wasn’t in love … he didn’t believe in love at first sight or all that bullshit. But seeing her here, in here element, it was real damned hard to not feel like maybe he could love her someday.

***

“Ma’am, I think that was the best thing I have ever eaten in my life.” Wolfie focused his attention on the wife of the President. “I’m not even sure what I ate but it was incredible.”

Malia Kelly smiled at him. “Thank you, Wolfie. It’s called Lau Lau … basically just meat steamed in a luau leaf for a few hours. Those are pork, the ones at the end are fish and the ones Freckles seems to be guarding are chicken.”

Wolfie looked down the table to where Freckles was looking up with a blush on his face. But he wasn’t denying that he’d pulled the plate closer to his own. Everyone at the table chuckled and Wolfie was, once again, blown away by the number of people who’d shown up to welcome them. He’d lost track of all their names but he remembered the important ones; the ones that made the point of hugging Grace and the ones she appeared to be most comfortable with. The big guy, even taller than Wolfie himself, was Lou and his accent put him somewhere in the midwest. His laugh was loud and easy and he seemed the most laid back. His woman, Renee, teased him and they were easy in love with each other. 

Gutches was quieter. He didn’t say much but when he did contribute, his dry humour had them all in stitches. He seemed the one you didn’t want sneaking up on you but he was charmed by Grace. Meka was the comedian. He was the one that would tell the stories, exaggerating everything Wolfie was sure and had everyone asking for more. His woman, Amy, was quiet by comparison but her smile was gentle. Their son Billy was the same age as Grace and went to the same school; they talked a bit but it was clear they had different interests and they were “club kids”. Friendly because their parents were together but outside of that, didn’t have much in common. There were a few others and Wolfie was honestly surprised by the comfortable feeling. Normally, when he was somewhere new, he’d be on edge and looking for escape angles but the atmosphere here was one of family. (it also helped that he’d noticed the security coming up to the house and he was pretty sure nothing short of a full assault by at least a battalion of soldiers was getting up that driveway). He noticed that his “Pack” were all just as relaxed. Tech and Gutches were leaning their heads together, talking low and the gleam in Tech’s eyes told Wolfie they were probably talking about ammo. Tech always got excited when he could compare ammo pros and cons. 

When Chin came over and tapped him on the shoulder, indicating that he should follow him, Wolfie braced himself for “the talk”. He led him inside the house to an office just off the main hallway and invited him to have a seat before closing the door behind him. Chin (surprisingly) sat in the chair beside him as opposed to going behind the desk.

“Relax, brah. This ain’t what you’re thinking. I figure there’s nothing I could say to you that Steve hasn’t already threatened you with. I just wanted to give you the keys to the house you’ll be staying in while you’re here and your rides. You’re welcome to sleep here tonight, we have plenty of room and we can show you where the house is in the morning or I can take you over tonight. It’s up to you and I figured, of the six of you, you seem to be the one that does the deciding.” Chin smiled and Wolfie couldn’t decide if that smile should disturb him or relax him. 

“If you wouldn’t mind, I think we’d all appreciate if you could put us up for the night. I have no idea how many hours I’ve been awake or whether I should be eating breakfast or dinner at this point but I know I’m no good on a bike right now and I don’t imagine any of my guys are any better off.” Wolfie smiled and he could feel the exhaustion that was starting to wear at the edges of his consciousness. 

“You’re here to take care of a part of our Ohana. That makes you Ohana by default. We take care of ours. Let me show you where you can lay your head and your boys can get some sleep.”

30 minutes later, he was sprawled out in the most comfortable bed he’d ever laid in with a breeze that smelled like … like Grace. He had always smelled something sweet around her and he finally realized what it was. Grace smelled like Hawaii. It made him smile as he drifted off to sleep and was unconscious for the next 12 hours.

***

The ‘Auana Club went all out. When Chin had said they take care of their own, he apparently wasn’t kidding. Wolfie was stunned when he finally managed to stumble out of the bedroom to find the rest of his guys all gathered around a coffee pot as though willing it to brew faster. The smell hit him a minute later and he was nudging his way between Freckles and Tech … that had to be the most delicious smelling coffee in the world. And someone had laid 6 mugs out with a note telling them to text when they were ready and someone would come bring them to their house and then to the club, where Grace was. 

“I dunno about the rest of you but shit, that was the greatest night’s sleep of my life.” Freckles announced. There were murmurs of agreement from the caffeine deprived zombies surrounding him. Otherwise, there was appreciative silence as they waited for the pot to finish, along with a few deep breaths to appreciate the scent. Finally it was ready and Wolfie felt absolutely zero guilt about snagging the pot first. There were grumbles but when he poured for the rest of them and they could all savor the taste, silence reigned. As they drank, they started talking and everyone agreed it was the best night of their lives and they hoped wherever they were going had beds as good. 

30 minutes later, after they had texted they were ready, Meka showed up and took them out to the garage where there were six bikes waiting for them. And the bikes … these were bikes Prospects usually only dreamed about having. A couple of Softails, a Fatboy and even a SuperGlide; Wolfie was impressed and speechless. He turned to Meka, probably looking like a complete idiot.

“Seriously? These are the rides you’re letting us use?” His voice was filled with doubt and awe.

“Brah, you ridin ‘round with ‘Auana, we can’t have you lookin like you don’t belong. ‘Sides, SEAL mighta mention he wanna make sure you’re taken care of so Grace is taken care of, ya? So these your rides.” Meka replied, not a hint of sarcasm and a whole lotta pride.

The house was even better. Wolfie had expected something like a condo but Meka drove them up to a house set back from the road with a row of windows across the front and 5 bedrooms. It was an older house, you could tell but it had been well taken care of. Much like back home, this was the residence of a Patch who was inside for a while and Wolfie was blown away by the generosity. They dropped their stuff and came back out, eager to get to the club.

Wolfie had to admit, as he slung his leg over the Fatboy, this was something he could get used to.


	3. Chapter 3

Riding in Honolulu was a completely different experience from riding around Jersey. The first thing Wolfie noticed was how most people smiled at them as they rode past, a few even waving. He was still mapping out the city as they drove around, trying to get his bearings and realized he couldn’t pronounce half the street names. ‘This should be fun.’ He thought to himself. At the next traffic light, Meka leaned over to tap his shoulder and get his attention. He looked to where Meka was pointing and chuckled a little. 

There stood Jersey Red’s Garage, Danno’s place. Aside from the location, it was almost an exact replica of Red’s Garage back home. It made his heart hurt a little and he tried not to think about losing Red or that he was having a ride out tomorrow and he wasn’t going to be there. He’d talk to his boys about takin’ a ride together later. The light changed and they were off again, turning down another maze of roads before they turned up an industrial road and pulled in front of a newly constructed building that had more than 30 bikes parked, along with a dozen or so cars and trucks. Meka indicated where they could park and led them inside. Easily, this was the largest clubhouse he’d ever been in and Wolfie heard one of his boys whistle appreciatively.

“If this is how Hawaii lives, I might never go back to Jersey.”

“They put pineapple on their pizza here, Tech. Pineapple!” Shiny reminded him.

“Dude, I can live with that for a clubhouse like this.” Tech replied, laughing.

Meka led them through the building and Wolfie caught glimpses of a few different rooms. A bunkroom, a shower area and, passing by a large window he saw a gym with a boxing ring and there was Grace. He stopped for a minute, caught by the intensity on her face. Every strike was deliberate as she sparred with a a guy Wolfie didn’t recognize and he could see the power in her throw, even for a girl her size. He couldn’t hear anything from the room as the door was closed but Grace was smiling, sweating and had her hair pulled up away from her face in a braid. 

A hand clapped on his shoulder and pulled him along; he looked to see Shakespeare shaking his head. “C’mon Romeo. You can moon later.”

“I wasn’t …”

“Uh huh. We ain’t dumb, dude. C’mon, keep up.”

***

Chin Ho’s office was tucked back in a corner and Wolfie noticed there was also an office for each member of the board, who at the moment were all gathered in Chin’s office with Wolfie and his pack.

“Glad to see you this afternoon, guys. Everything good?”

“That was the most amazing night’s sleep I’ve ever had. Thank you again for putting us up, both last night and the house.” Wolfie responded, with murmurs of agreement from his boys.

“Good. I’m glad. You need anything, you let us know. Danno and Steve have both mentioned you and in particular, Steve mentioned how you took care of Grace. I’m sure you can tell, there’s a lot of us that care quite a bit about that girl and we are appreciative of anyone that protects her. We are also very protective against people who are out to hurt her or threaten her in some way so I’d like you to bring me up to date on exactly what kind of a threat we’re dealing with here.”

Wolfie explained the situation with Stan Edwards and the DeFuria family having an interest in Grace but that he wasn’t sure exactly what the interest was. He’d known about the photographer and the shooting at the DeFuria building but right now, that was all they knew. He told them about the connection between Stan Edwards and the DeFuria family and, just to cover all his bases, he made sure Chin knew about his own connection to the DeFuria family.

“Was Steve aware of your connection to the family before he sent you here with Grace?” Chin sounded more calm than before, which made Wolfie very uneasy.

“I honestly don’t know if he was or not, but everyone in the Machine knew about my father and that included Red. My father was their clean-up guy and I may or may not have told them to go fuck themselves when they showed up to “help me” after my parents died.”

“Why was that?” Chin sounded genuinely interested.

“My father was loyal. He did everything they ever asked, no matter what time of day or night it was. He never squealed, never even got pinched by the cops. No-one ever linked anything to anyone if my father did the clean-up and, when he died they froze my mother out. Didn’t show up to say they were sorry, didn’t even send a card or nothin. It was like my father didn’t exist to them. And no one can tell me that they don’t do that for guys like my Dad because I remember another guy from a year or so before my Dad and there was a fuckin processional to his house of made guys, offering their condolences. My Dad’s funeral had 5 people. The DeFuria family didn’t care about my old man after almost all the time he gave to them, I doubt they’d care about me either.”

“And yet, you wind up with a 1% club?”

“When Ma died, I needed money. My aunt had 5 kids already and money was tight for her without adding a 16 year old kid to the mix. So I figured I’d get a job … I was always good with bikes and engines so a garage made sense to me. With my name, most garages wouldn’t even look at me but Red gave me a shot. He had an old shovelhead and told me if I could get the engine together that day, he’d hire me. I’ve been there since. He sponsored me into the Club when I was 17 and I’ve been Machine since. Red gave me a job and he always made sure I had what I needed. I’d say like a father but I loved my Dad too much to disrespect him like that … but Red was always there, checkin up on me … hell, us.” Wolfie gestured towards the rest of his boys. “But I never hid who I was from nobody I just honestly don’t know if the SEAL or Danno knew.”

Chin eyed him and he felt like he was being stripped bare. The calm exterior did nothing for Wolfie’s nerves as he felt like he was being judged. Finally Chin broke his silence.

“I’ll make sure you know how to get to Mamo’s place in Kahuku, since that’s where Grace will probably spend a good amount of her time. You see anything weird or out of place, you handle it and then let me know. If it’s not something you can handle, you call me and I can have someone wherever you are on the island in about 10 minutes. I know what you do and it would probably be good to put you into Jersey’s garage, especially with him being on the mainland for a while. What about the rest of you?”

As it turned out, for each of their skills there just happened to be a guy or a place that could use them. Wolfie wasn’t suspicious of that … no, not at all.

***

He fell into a routine over the next few days. He’d be up long before it was even normal for people to be awake so he could get dressed and pick Grace up at Chin and Malia’s place so he could take her to a trail behind the clubhouse so they could run together. Wolfie had never run for “sport” or “exercise” in his life and he was seriously regretting signing on for this part of watching over her but he enjoyed the banter back and forth when she teased him about being slow and encouraged him to keep up. After their run, they’d both shower at the clubhouse and have breakfast, usually joined by the rest of the pack and sometimes a few of the ‘Auana club. After breakfast, he’d head to the garage where he was learning where everything was and getting into his space. It was pretty easy since the interior of the garage was just like Red’s … it was almost like being at home, except for the difference in temperature and smells. 

He became friendly with the guys at the garage and they had a good thing goin with customers in and out. He’d work on whatever it was, losing himself in the routine of it and the solitude it provided. Sometimes, he thought about home. Sometimes he thought about how far from home he was. Occasionally Grace would cross his mind and he’d wonder what she’d look like elbow deep in an engine. He knew she had the skill or Red never would have let her do it … wondered if working in a garage was what she had planned for her future. (wondered if they ever got together, if a grease monkey like him would be good enough for her). 

After work, it was home to shower and then usually dinner at Chin and Malia’s with the rest of the guys. They’d all talk about what was going on and it had a real family feel to it. Grace would usually wind Tech up about how much she loved pineapple and he’d be off on a rant about the smell on the island or Shiny and Hook would gang up on Grace about her ride. They had their places at the table and usually Wolfie wound up sitting next to Grace and they would bump into each other (completely by accident) and he enjoyed just being a part of this dynamic.

On his 4th day in Hawaii, Grace wanted to go to Kahuku to see her Uncle Mamo and get some riding in so Wolfie was picking her up before the sun was even on the horizon and she gave him directions to a cafe they could stop at for breakfast before going to Mamo’s. She had all her riding gear in a backpack she was wearing while they rode and she tucked it into the saddlebag on the Fatboy before going inside. Everyone seemed to know her and she waved and smiled as she took a seat towards the rear of the restaurant, automatically sliding into the seat opposite the one with the view of the door. 

“So what’s good?” Wolfie asked her, in reference to the menu.

“Spam and eggs is really good, you should try it.” Grace replied as the waitress came over.

“Gracie Face. We’ve been missing you, everything okay?” Wolfie didn’t miss the waitress giving him a look. One a mother might give a suspicious man hanging around her daughter. 

“Things are okay Lisa. My Dad and Danno had to go to Jersey to take care of something and I’ve been with them but needed to come back. They’ll be back soon but I’m staying with Uncle Chin and Auntie Malia until then. This is my friend Dominic from Jersey and he’s taking me up to see Mamo so I can get some riding in.” Grace favoured the woman with a huge smile. 

“Well I hope they get things taken care of soon and come back. We’ve missed seeing you, Ali’i. You want coffee?”

“Yes please, two. Black.”

Lisa disappeared moments later to get their coffee and Wolfie leaned across the table to whisper to Grace. “Does everyone on this island know you?”

Grace nodded. “Yep, pretty much. We stop here for breakfast whenever I go up to Mamo’s place. And I should warn you, if we stop for lunch, everyone at Papa’s knows me too. I come up here … a lot.” She grinned.

“Well, you gotta practice if you’re gonna be on the team in ‘18, right?”

Grace lit up and gave him one of her best smiles. Before they could continue, Lisa was back with the coffee and took their order for breakfast. Wolfie decided to test out spam and eggs while Grace went for oatmeal and fruit and they spent their meal talking about things Wolfie had discovered about Hawaii and what he still needed to see and do. By the time they were ready to leave, he motioned Lisa for the bill and she tilted her head.

“You’re riding with ‘Auana, right?”

“Yes Ma’am.”

“Then there’s no bill.”

Wolfie digested that for a moment and Lisa laughed, leaning over to whisper. “We’re a Club friendly place. Chin owns 20% of the diner and you boys have always taken care of us whenever we’ve needed something. ‘Auana don’t pay here, even if they are from Jersey.” She winked as she went to her other customers. Wolfie left a $20 tip on the table for her.

***

When they got the the track, Grace was off like a shot towards an older man who wore a smile as large as Grace’s.

“Uncle Mamo!”

“Oooh, ipo. How you have been missed! The keiki have missed their cousin teaching them all her tricks and I’ve missed your smiles. Everything is ok, ya?”

“I wouldn’t say okay, Uncle. But they will be. Daddy and Danno are still in New Jersey but they’ll be back soon. For now, I have my very own wolf watching over me. This is Dominic. Dominic, this is my Uncle Mamo. He’s the one that taught me how to ride and coaches me.”

Dominic extended his hand and found himself pulled into an embrace. He heard the older man whisper in his ear, “Once she’s riding, I need to talk to you.” and he was released. 

“You ready to get back riding, Grace? You might have to tune your bike, it’s been sitting since you left. Why don’t you go check on it while I show your friend Dominic around?”

Grace shook her head with a secretive little smile on her face. 

“Uncle Mamo forget I no lolo. You talk story with my friend while I ride eriding.” Grace said and Mamo burst out laughing. Wolfie had no idea half of what she’d just said, it sounded like nonsense.

“No act, wahine. Your malihini in good hands wit old Mamo.”

Wolfie was completely lost at this point and waited for them to go back to English.

Grace grinned and took off towards the shed right behind them while Mamo indicated a bench where Wolfie could see the entire track, plus Grace inside the shed. He had a feeling this bench was a new addition.

“Old Mamo figure, you da guard for our wahine so I tell you about the guy that’s been around here.”

Wolfie was immediately on his guard.

“Start about 2 or 3 months ago, this guy he come to the track and he introduce himself. Says he’s a photographer that works with a few websites to promote motocross and trail riding. I checked him out and he was on the up and it’s not uncommon for photographers to come so I let him take pictures. He was here most days so nothing seemed outta place. Then he started to focus his pictures on Grace while she was riding. At first, I thought he would be good for her to have exposure but then … Mamo gets a feeling. This guy, he’s not promoting, there’s no writer with him to talk about Grace. Just him and his pictures. So I told him just before Grace left that he wasn’t welcome to come back, that he’d had his pictures and I was closing the track to photographers. He got real upset and started talking about just needin a few more promotional shots. He left after I had a couple of my boys escort him off the property.”

“What was your feeling? Why kick him out if photographers are here all the time?”

“Most photographers are here a day, maybe 2. This guy, he was here for 2 months. Kept sayin he was photographing for different websites so needed fresh shots. I may be old but I ain’t stupid. He was up to somethin and I didn’t like it. I meant to tell Stevie and Danno but the next time I saw them was the night they came to pick up Grace. I figured it would hold until they come back, but now you’re here so I’m telling you.”

“Do you still have his name or contact info?” 

“I got his card in my office. I’ll get it for you while you keep an eye on my Gracie. Someone threatening her, someone gonna find out how Mamo used to take care of problems.” The older man suddenly looked very fierce and Wolfie had no doubt he would do whatever needed to be done. He walked away and Wolfie saw Grace come out of the shed pushing the bike she’d been talking about since the night they’d met; her purple Yamaha YZ250F. He’d read up on different motocross bikes and discovered this was very near top of the line. It was considered by most to be THE bike to beat at competition and Grace rode like she was a part of the machine itself. He could see the determination on her face before she slid her helmet on and then she was just a blur of purple across the track. He kept his eyes open for anyone that might look suspicious but, true to his word, there wasn’t really anyone around the track that didn’t look like they were working there. Wolfie relaxed slightly as Mamo came back and handed over the card with the photographer’s information. 

“What you people do to my girl up there, eh? She’s all off balance and pushing too hard …” Mamo wandered towards the track, waving Grace in and Wolfie chuckled. 

He took a picture of the card and texted it to Chin before calling him to relay the information Mamo had given him.

“We’ll look into it. Has Mamo started complaining about how she rides yet?”

Wolfie laughed. “He wants to know what us people did to his girl up there. Apparently she’s off balance and pushing too hard.”

Chin laughed right along with him. “Yep, that’s Mamo. He’s not happy unless he’s correcting something. You keep your eyes open, Wolf.”

“Will do.”

“I know you will.”

There was something in the man’s tone. It almost sounded like acceptance. Most of the time, Prospects were held at arms length because they weren’t full patch. It was completely unheard of for a Prospect to be guarding someone like Grace but Wolfie’d figured that Red had vetted him so that’s why they stuck with it but there was something new in his tone.

“Hey, make sure you are back for dinner tonight. Malia’s promising to make more lau lau with pork we cooked in the imu.” Wolfie thought it was strange that he’d specifically ask him to be there … they were at dinner most nights. Something was definitely going on.


	4. Chapter 4

Grace loved being out here on the track. She could ride and concentrate on her form and not worry about anything. She wasn’t dumb and she knew Uncle Mamo was telling Wolfie about something that had happened, probably that weird photographer guy but right now, she could feel the track and the jumps and she just rode for the sheer joy of it. Every once in a while, her mind would drift to her Danno. She’d texted back and forth with him a few times and they’d spoken on the phone every day. He sounded tired but he promised her he’d see her soon. It didn’t get missed that he didn’t say he was coming home and combined with the fact that Uncle Red had left him everything, Grace had a suspicion. 

She went around the track a few times before Mamo called her over and corrected her form. He told her she was pushing too hard and when it came to flips, she had to put everything into the rotation, not the lead-up. She went again, this time doing a few flips and tricks and she could hear Mamo applauding. It made her feel good to finally be back here with her bike (although she did miss that little minibike) and surrounded by familiarity. 

After an hour of riding, Grace was a sweaty mess but she was feeling better and was loving the endorphin rush that came from riding. She put her bike up after carefully making sure to clear the dust, debris and mud away and came running back out to Mamo, who was standing next to Wolfie. Once again, Wolfie dwarfed everyone around him and it made her giggle. They turned their attention towards her and she grinned. 

“Just thinkin about somethin funny, that’s all.”

Wolfie looked at her and shook his head, slinging his arm around her shoulders. She ignored the butterflies in her stomach as she leaned into his touch.

“You look at me and you think I’m funny? Do I amuse you, mia Regina?” He put an extra thick layer of Jersey into his accent and Grace lost it. She was giggling and holding her stomach. 

“Bruddah aznuts, fo’ shua!” Mamo said and Grace was gone again, laughing long and loud.

“Da kine, Uncle. Mahalo for today.”

“Any time, Grace. I’ll see you Saturday for the keiki class, ya?”

“I promise, yes.” Grace reached up and hugged Mamo, kissing him on the cheek. 

***

“What is it you were saying to Mamo about lolo and malihiney?” Wolfie asked as they were sitting in Papa Ole’s. 

“It’s pidgin. Well, some of it is pidgin and some is Hawaiian. Like … proper English versus Jersey slang. I learn Hawaiian in school and Dad helps me at home but I’m pretty fluent right now. Most people assume I’ve been speaking it all my life but I really only started learning it when I was 9 and Daddy got me into the Kame schools.”

“What are Kame schools? Are they different from regular schools?”

“Yep. Kame schools were founded with a grant from Princess Bernice Bishop in honor of her grandfather, Kamehameha the Great. The school is pretty much exclusively for Native Hawaiians and kama’aina because she felt it was important to continue teaching traditional Hawaiian values and she felt that public schools weren’t giving native Hawaiian’s the same opportunities as haole kids. We learn the same things that public schools teach but we also have classes on the environment, learning to speak Hawaiian, classes about native culture. We even learn traditional mele and hula. Dad got me in because he’s kama’aina.”

“What’s that word mean?” Wolfie was fascinated by everything she could do.

“Kama’aina means “of the land”. It’s something people use to refer to natives or people who’ve been on the island for a long time. Some people still consider me haole because I’ve really only been here since ‘09 but Dad’s kama’aina so, by default, so am I. At least that’s what he told me when people gave me a hard time about it once.” Grace shrugged and smiled.

“And before you ask, haole is what we call mainlanders.”

“Actually, I was going to ask you to say something to me in Hawaiian.” Wolfie grinned.

Grace thought for a moment and leaned forward, pitching her voice low. “Eia au, eia ‘oe, Hokeo.” She blushed as she leaned back. She’d all but confessed her crush out loud but he wouldn’t know. He smiled at her, that confused “I have no idea what you said” smile. It made her belly flip.

“Should I ask what you said?”

“Nope.” Maybe she’d tell him someday.

***

“I have something for you boys, if you’re interested.” Chin said to the six of them as they were sitting at the dinner table. Most of the board was present as well as a few other members of the club and Wolfie looked nervous. Grace looked up at Uncle Chin and he had that amused gleam in his eye.

“Okay.” Wolfie sounded nervous.

Chin nodded and Uncle Gutches went up onto the lanai and came back carrying something. Grace saw what it was before anyone else did and she had to work to keep her squeal to herself. From the look on Uncle Lou’s face across from her, she failed spectacularly. 

Gutches held the cut out to Wolfie first so he could see the full patch with Honolulu rockers. Wolfie went still and his eyes flicked to Chin and to Grace before going back to the cut.

“We’d like to patch you in as ‘Auana. From what I’ve learned from some of the guys I’ve spoken to in Jersey, Red was about to patch you guys in up there before he died. I like what I see in you, even in the short time you’ve been here. Obviously the choice is yours but if you decide to ride with ‘Auana, you will always have Ohana. We’ll get you settled into your living arrangements and anything else you need.” Chin continued and Grace was almost dizzy with holding her breath, waiting for Wolfie to answer. She watched him reach out and run his fingers over the patch and smile.

“What do you think, guys? Can we live with the smell of pineapple?” He turned towards the table, looking at the pack. There wasn’t a single head shaking no.

“In that case, I would like to formally accept. Thank you, Chin. This means … it really means so much.” Wolfie’s voice was thick with pride and joy. Grace was up and out of her seat, hugging him before he could even put the cut on and she ran around the table, hugging all of them. She’d just wrapped her arms around Shiny when she heard Wolfie laugh. Turning her head, she saw Chin with his mischievous grin.

On the front of each cut there was an additional patch. “Jersey Wolves” and on Wolfie’s cut, another reading “Packmaster”

“Now you’ve done it. There’s no living with him now, Grace. You’ve officially inflated his ego beyond anything we could live with.” Shiny teased.

Wolfie was smiling a mile wide as he slid his new cut on and Gutches handed them out to the rest of the guys. 

They were ‘Auana now. 

***

“Do you see them yet?” Grace asked.

“Not yet, mia Regina.”

They were at the airport waiting for Danno and Dad. Wolfie had come into the terminal with her while Chin, Gutches and Shakespeare were outside with the truck. He had his arm slung around her shoulders and she was pressed up against him and she was fast becoming used to this position. Of course, the rest of the Jersey Wolves often did the same thing with her but with Wolfie, it felt … better. He felt comfortable and safe. She knew she shouldn’t be thinking of him like that because there were a whole ton of issues there, but she enjoyed just being with her Wolf.

“There. I see your Dad and it looks like your father is beside him.” Wolfie said and Grace was vibrating with the need to run and find them. Thankfully, Wolfie looked intimidating enough that as he started to walk forward, people cleared out of his way and finally Grace could slip out of his arm and run to her Danno. Daddy stopped her from leaping, but only just and Danno made a small whine sound. Immediately she let go and hugged him much more gently.

“I missed you Danno. I love you.”

She felt his arms go around her and she was 9 years old all over again, just wanting to never let go. “Danno loves you too, Monkey.”

She felt Daddy put his arms around them both and lean forward to kiss the top of her head. “I love you too Daddy.”

“We missed you, Ali’i.”

They stayed that way for a minute longer before breaking apart and found Wolfie standing back from them. Danno motioned him closer and he pulled Wolfie into a hug. Grace was pretty sure she heard him whisper thank you. When Danno released him, Dad was there with a handshake and a hug as well. 

Her Ohana was complete.

***

It became a thing pretty quick. Wolfie would come get her before dawn, they’d have breakfast at the diner and then go to Mamo’s for training. Wolfie would hang out and watch her riding or sometimes he’d ride with her on the family track and then they’d get lunch at Papa’s. She looked forward to the days they could spend like that, both when it was just the two of them or when her Dads came or the rest of the Wolves. Her summer flew by and pretty soon, it was August and she was getting ready to go back to school and she had an exhibition to prep for so she went up to Mamo’s and she was staying there for a week. It was a pretty easy exhibition but it was the first of the season so she wanted to really impress and had been working on her routine, making little tweaks and improvements and was staying up pretty late. Mamo trusted her and knew she could put her stuff away without his having to watch her so it wasn’t strange that she’d be alone on the track at 10 at night. 

She didn’t have Danno’s “itch” but something felt like she was being watched. She glanced around but didn’t see anyone so she rode her bike over the next hill, heading towards the shed with every intention of getting inside. She didn’t want to call Danno or Wolfie (she kept her phone inside her gear), just in case it was paranoia but she was hyper aware of her surroundings. The floodlights kept the track well lit but made the shadows darker beyond the track itself. If she squinted, she thought she could just make out the shape of someone at the edge of the track and it wasn’t a someone that she was familiar with. Too short to be Wolfie or Freckles, too broad for Shakespeare or Tech, too tall to be Shiny or Hook. She was trying to gauge if she could slip past him on her bike if she gunned it when he disappeared into the shadows. She rode her bike back around the track, stopping in the center, at the crest of a jump hill and called Danno. She figured being at the center of the track, she could see all the angles and the track was illuminated enough that no one could get on without being seen.

“Monkey what’s wrong?”

“Danno I think someone’s here watching me.”

“What do you mean?” She could hear him getting up and getting dressed already.

“I was about to put the bike up for the night and I … like you talk about your itch? Anyway, I thought I felt something and when I looked, there was someone in the dark just at the exit to the track. I couldn’t see them but I could make out the figure and it wasn’t anyone I know.”

“Where are you now?”

“I’m at the center of the track with my bike at the top of the 3rd jump so I can see the whole track. The floodlights are still on so I can see.”

“You stay right where you are Grace, you hear me. RIGHT where you are. Call Mamo on his phone to come out to you.”

“I love you Danno.”

“I love you too. Call Mamo, right now.”

Grace hung up, her heart thudding in her chest. She berated herself for not thinking of that first. Danno was an hour away, Mamo was about 100 feet away. She looked around the track and she was still alone as she dialed Mamo. She was sweating inside her suit and she was constantly looking around. Mamo answered just as the floodlights went out.

“MAMO! Someone’s out here with me. I’m on jump 3 and they just turned off the floodlights. I called Danno. Please come out.”

She could hear Mamo getting up and rushing as she looked around, trying to adjust her eyes to the dark after the sudden loss of the floods. Taking a risk, she gunned her bike and rode straight towards the exit to the track figuring that whoever was out here couldn’t catch her on her bike. As she rode past the exit, she caught a scent of heavy cologne and she throttled up, almost popping her front wheel up as she headed towards Mamo’s house. She could make him out in the semi-darkness now that her eyes had adjusted and he was running towards her, shotgun in hand. 

“You go inside, Grace. Right now. Leave the bike on the rail.”

Grace did as she was told, hearing Mamo right behind her. She went straight for the kitchen, the only room in Mamo’s house with no windows or doors, and sat at the table. Her fingers were shaking as she called Danno again, telling him that she was with Mamo in the house. She could hear Dad behind the wheel, telling her they would be there as soon as they could but they’d called Gutches and Tech, who lived closer, to come over and they would be there in 10 minutes. 

“You did good Monkey. I love you and we’ll be there soon.”

Her hands wouldn’t stop shaking, even when Mamo picked her up and hugged her close. She didn’t want to cry and be scared but she was very freaked out and now every noise sounded too loud. She was trying to be brave; she was the daughter of 2 badasses! She knew how to kick anyone’s ass! There was no reason for crying … so why was her face wet? Mamo handed her a warm cloth and sat her down. Apparently she was crying.

“You did the right thing Grace. No-one should be out here and if you saw someone, you are right to call.” Mamo comforted her as they both heard the tell-tale rumble of engines. He went to the door and looked outside through the glass before opening the door and letting Gutches in. 

“Tech is looking around for anyone or anything that he might be able to find. I’m gonna hang out in here, in the air conditioning, like the smart biker I am.” Gutches winked at Grace as he settled by the front door. 

“I’m sorry Gutch.”

“For?” He sounded confused.

“Being a wuss. I bet there’s nothing out there and I woke everyone up for nothing.”

Gutches was across the room and picking her up for a hug in an instant. “Grace, there isn’t a single member of ‘Auana that wouldn’t rather be woken up for nothing than finding you gone after the fact. Mostly because we like you but also because no one wants to hear Danno ranting, watch SuperSEAL go to DEFCON 1 or the Wolves rip the island apart looking for you.”

Grace laughed a little, still not feeling any better about basically scrambling everyone’s night up. 

“Besides, it gives me a chance to see what Tech can do. He’s got good instincts and I want to see what he can come up with in the dark.”

“He can come up with a set of tire prints, a set of shoe prints and the stink of something decidedly Italian in nature.” Tech said from the door, looking decidedly angry. Which was new for Grace … Tech didn’t get angry. Ever. 

“What makes you say that?” Gutches asked.

“Cologne. Bathed in it, I’d bet. The stink even overwhelms the pineapple smell and if there’s one thing every kid from Jersey knows, it’s that Italians love to bathe in expensive cologne. Specifically, Armani cologne and that stench is all over the yard.” Tech ground out, his eyes flicking back and forth from Gutches to Grace. “You alright, Regina?”

She smiled quietly at the name and nodded her head. She was starting to calm down now and felt better that someone else had smelled the cologne. It wasn’t just in her head.

Another engine rolled into the yard and she recognized the sound of her Dad’s truck. She was up and out the door in a second, wrapping herself around Danno. She knew she was safe as soon as Mamo had come out with his shotgun but Danno … Danno made that safety real. 

He held her close, walking her backwards into Mamo’s house and sat on the couch with Grace draped over him, not wanting to let go.

“We’ve got a problem, Danno.” Tech said.

“What kind of a problem?”

“An Armani suit kind of a problem.”

“You sure?”

“I smelled it too Danno.” Grace said, before Tech could speak. “Really strong cologne was all around the exit to the track.”

She didn’t see the look that passed between the men in the room but she felt Danno’s arm go tighter around her waist. 


	5. Chapter 5

Wolfie was just finishing his first cup of coffee and getting ready to head to work when he got a text from Danno, asking him to stop by the house before going in. Figuring something was wrong, he replied he’d be there in about 30 minutes and rushed through the rest of his morning routine. He wasn’t sure what it could be but when the VP of the Club calls, you answer.

Pulling up to the house, Wolfie recognized Tech’s bike, along with Gutches and Meka. Now his flags were all the way up and he parked next to Gutches’ bike before hurrying into the house. Everyone was gathered in the kitchen, Grace nowhere to be found. He was about to ask when Danno cut him off.

“She’s upstairs asleep. She was up most of the night after we brought her back from Mamo’s place. We have a problem … apparently my message to the DeFuria family wasn’t clear enough the last time I was in Jersey. Last night, about 10 o’clock, Grace called because she noticed someone near the track and she couldn’t see any details but she could make out enough to know it wasn’t anyone she knew. Once we all got there, both Grace and Tech here said they could smell Armani cologne. Like somebody bathed in it.”

Wolfie growled as he listened to Danno. Earlier in the summer, when Danno and Steve had arrived in Hawaii from Jersey, they had brought everyone up to speed with what had finally been revealed about the whole Edwards/DeFuria situation, including the beating Danno had visited on Arthur and his threat. Wolfie had waited until everyone had left before he asked to sit down with Danno and Steve. He’d explained, just as he had with Chin, his connection to the DeFuria family. 

“… and you’re explaining this, why?” Danno had asked.

“Grace was threatened by the DeFuria family … they think she IS family. You’ve entrusted me with protecting her a few times and I didn’t know if you were aware before. If it would change your stance on my spending time with Grace.”

“While I admit I was not aware of your previous connection, it doesn’t change a thing for me, son. Red trusted you and he was the one who originally had you watching over Grace. That’s good enough for me but then you’ve gone above and beyond on several occasions. Like I said before, I trust you with my daughter. I know you won’t let anything happen to her. And I know I can trust you to keep your other interests under control as well.” Danno replied, looking at him straight in the eye. It was the first time Danno had addressed the mutual attraction between Wolfie and Grace, echoing what Steve had said back in Jersey.

He’d felt … proud in that moment. The acceptance was something that he’d wanted but wasn’t sure he was going to get, once he’d come clean. And being trusted to continue hanging with Grace (like a big brother) was also something that he was glad for. It was the last time the attraction was addressed by either of them for a long while.

“Do we think it’s Arthur himself or one of his boys?” Wolfie asked.

“From what Grace could see, she said whoever it was stood maybe … what’re you? 6’10?” Danno smirked.

“I’m 6’4” Danno. I’m not a freakin tree.” Wolfie replied, rolling his eyes.

“Okay, so Grace said whoever it was wasn’t tall enough to be either you or Freckles but taller than Hook and Shiny. So that puts him somewhere between 5’11 and 6’4. She said he was too broad to be Shakespeare or Tech as well. I don’t know that gives us much but Arthur himself is a pretty slender guy so I’m thinkin it’s a goon.” Danno replied.

“Armani’s an old guy’s cologne. Most of the younger guys are wearin Tom Ford these days. And that was definitely Armani cologne … I think it’s the only one that could outstink the pineapples on this island.” Tech said, scrunching his nose up. “Also, the shoe print was more loafer with a heel than those boots the guys like to wear now. Men in booties … freakin weirdos.”

“Okay so we think it’s a goon that’s been around a while. Admittedly, I don’t know anyone in their organization. Wolfie, I know you know who some of the players are. Any ideas?”

Wolfie had been thinking while everyone was talking, taking the information in and trying to match what they knew with who he remembered. There were a few possibilities that came to mind right away.

“Junior Buccaro likes those loafers and I think he sweats Armani cologne. He’s pretty broad but he’s not so tall, maybe 5’6”? Hank Petrillo fits the physical description, he’s about 6’1” and he’s pretty broad in the shoulders but you’d never catch that man wearing anything other than a tracksuit and sneakers. There’s another guy, Piero Vintennetti. He’s right in that description, the shoes and the cologne but I’d be very very surprised if it was him. He has a kid that requires pretty much constant care and he wouldn’t leave that kid for more than a couple of hours for any reason. I can’t see him willingly getting on a plane 5,000 miles away.”

“Do we know if the kid is still alive?” Steve asked.

“Admittedly, I don’t know. Hang on and I can find out though.” Wolfie took out his phone and dialed a number from memory. A few seconds later, he was speaking with someone in Italian.

“Ah, come stai?”  
“Sto bene, grazie. Senti, ho bisogno di un favore.”  
“No, non è come l'ultima volta. Non esistono donne brutte coinvolte. No, ho bisogno di sapere se il figlio di Piero è ancora vivo?”

Here Wolfie paused for a long while, listening to whoever was on the other end. A moment passed and a dark look came over his face. “Apprezzo le informazioni Bennie. Ti devo grande per questo. Sì, ti manderò un ananas. Arrivederci.”

“Piero Vintennetti’s kid died 10 months ago. which means he COULD also be the guy that was creepin around Mamo’s before you left for Jersey.” Wolfie’s voice was low with suppressed anger.

“How high up on the food chain is this guy?” Gutches was asking.

“In terms of the organization, Piero would be the hand of God to Arthur DeFuria. He was Capo under Jimmy but Arthur would have raised him up when he took over, they were always close. It’s safe to assume Jimmy sent him here but Arthur probably kept him here.”

“So an underboss. Equivalent to Danno here.” Tech offered.

“So the question becomes … do we take out the problem here or take care of it in Jersey?” Danno asked, most likely rhetorically.

“Why not both?” Wolfie asked and everyone turned to look at him.

“You took out Jimmy D and the vacuum it created prevented the family from coming after the Machine. Then you visited Arthur and made your point, but he kept Piero here so he was flaunting what you said to him. Probably hoping Piero wouldn’t get caught. Now Piero’s probably had time to tell Arthur that he’s been found out and they’ll decide whether it’s better to bring Piero home and send someone else here or to risk him sticking around. Your best course of action is to get someone to take Arthur out, so you’re making a statement to the DeFuria’s that when you make them a promise, it’s going to get kept but also to take out Piero so whoever the next boss becomes in Jersey knows that Hawaii is off limits.” Wolfie laid out the plan.

Danno stared at him for a moment before clapping him on the shoulder. “Hey lookit that … kid’s more than just a pretty face! There’s a brain in there too!” He was grinning and there was no snark in his voice, just praise.

“I try to keep the smarts under wraps. I want someone to love me for my body, not just my brains.” Wolfie replied and everyone started laughing. 

“So the question becomes, who goes to Jersey and who stays here?” Steve asked.

“Depends on how big a splash we want to make and the order in which we make it. If we take out Piero first, we want someone Arthur doesn’t know in Jersey. But I really want to be the one to take Arthur out … I want that splash. Yeah it’s not smart, but it’s a point of pride for me.”

“I can take out Piero here on the island. I know what he looks like and I know his habits. He and my Dad spent some time together.” Wolfie volunteered. “But I’d like to take Hook with me to roust him out.”

Danno was nodding in agreement. Hook had proven himself a very capable clean-up guy in his few months on the island. 

“Steve, I’m going to assume you’re going to want to come to Jersey with me so what about Grace?”

“The Pack can keep an eye on her and get her to her exhibitions and whatnot.” Tech offered. 

“Whatnot is going to involve school here in about a week.” Danno reminded him.

“Nah, she’s smart enough. We’ll take her to the beach and let her be a beach bum.” Tech teased.

“Yeah good luck with that one. I tried to convince her to play hooky one day with me and the glare I got in return was enough for me to never mention it again.” Danno laughed. 

“We’ll make sure she’s covered, to and from.” Tech assured. 

“And she can stay with Kono or Chin. Kono’s living back down here for a while so her place is open.” Gutches reminded everyone.

“Coffee.” Grace’s half asleep grumbly voice came from the doorway of the kitchen. Wolfie turned and couldn’t help it. He started laughing, which earned him a death glare from Grace and a pitying look from Danno. Grace’s usually neat hair was stuck up in all different directions from the half-falling apart braid in the back. She still had crease marks on her face from her pillow and her eyes were half-closed. She looked like a rumpled rag doll.

“I’d be careful if I were you. Before coffee, she bites.” Danno warned as Grace shuffled up to the table and wedged herself between Gutches and Steve.

“Loud.”

“Yes Ali’i, we were very loud and we’re sorry.” Steve consoled as he rubbed her back and she put her head down on the table. Wolfie thought she was adorable but he kept that to himself and added it to the list of things he knew about her. 

“Why?”

“We were talking about what happened last night and what to do about it.” Danno offered as he slid a coffee mug in front of her. She wrapped her hands around it and lifted her head to sip.

“What?” Apparently she was also mono-syllabic before coffee. Also good to know.

“SuperSEAL and I are going to Jersey for a day or two. Wolfie is going to take care of the problem here and your pack of Wolves will chauffeur you around like the Royal princess you are.”

Grace pointed at Wolfie. “Hook.”

Wolfie grinned and nodded to confirm. Then he thought hard about what kind of life he was going to invite her into that she already knew who the clean-up guy for the club was. But Danno didn’t hide much from Grace, especially when it came to matters dealing with a threat to her. “Hook’ll be with me.”

She nodded and went back to her coffee for another sip.

“When?” She looked at Danno.

“We’re not sure. Wolfie and Hook have to do some legwork here so the timing is right. The threat here is from someone in Jersey that needs to be reminded of a lesson that he’s apparently forgotten.”

Grace nodded and Wolfie shook his head mentally. She took everything in stride, like it wasn’t a big deal. She was growing up with a thick protective layer of skin and he wondered how that would change her over the years. He’d seen some of the women who’d grown up around the Club and they were hard. They didn’t have that air of light that Grace seemed to have and he wondered if the Club life would drive that out of her. 

“Can I stay with Kono?”

“Miracle of miracles! She speaks!” Danno clapped his hands like this was a major accomplishment and she scowled at him gently. “I can ask Kono if you can stay with her, yes.”

“Guys if we’re done here, I have an ‘89 Mercedes that “clicks” calling my name.” Wolfie stood up from the table. 

Danno rolled his eyes. “Lemme guess. Mr. Ko’eola?”

“How’d you know? My god you must be psychic!” Wolfie put a stunned expression on his face.

“Yes, you have to psychic to know that Mercedes will be coming in every 3 months because it “clicks”.” Danno chuckled. “I’ve told him a million times there’s nothing clicking and his engine is working perfectly but every 3 months, like clockwork, here he comes. So I take his money and tell him once again, there’s nothing wrong. Check his oil to make sure he’s had it changed and then just charge him for the labor.”

“Will do, boss.” Wolfie saluted as he made his way out. Grace gave him one of her little smiles as he left and it made him happy.

***

Finding Piero took longer than he expected it to. His usual habits were hard to track on an unfamiliar island and he’d had a 6 month head start on establishing them. Wolfie was coming up empty left and right before Hook inadvertently gave him an idea. 

They were sitting in the garage and Wolfie was working on a bike for one of the ‘Auana guys when Hook mentioned that he’d literally kill someone for some decent soppressata. Wolfie sat up so fast, he whacked his head against the tank and winced.

“Dude, that’s it.”

“What? You’ve finally knocked the last braincell loose?” Hook teased.

“No, you dumbass. Soppressata … cappocollo … prosciutto. That’s the key.”

Hook was looking at him like he’d lost his mind and Wolfie shook his head.

“Piero, asshole. Keep up. He’s from Jersey and he’s a made guy. He’s not gonna settle for what passes for deli meat on the island. I’d bet you he’s gettin it shipped in from Marpolo’s.”

Finally Hook was caught up and he nodded. “You’re probably right. But how do we find one box out of what … thousands? that come onto this island DAILY?”

“We don’t. We ask very politely at Marpolo’s where they are shipping to in Hawaii.”

“Who do we know that could ask that politely?” Hook asked, looking suspicious.

“Shit. Good point.” Wolfie was slightly deflated as he tried to think of who he could get that would be able to find out the information.

“What about Freckles’ cousin Amy? Didn’t that Giorgio guy have a thing for her?”

“You want Freckles to kill us both?”

“Why is Freckles gonna kill you?” Danno asked from behind them.

“Because we have a good idea of how we can find our friend but it would require getting information from Marpolo’s back home. Freckles had a cousin that one of the guys working there had a thing for but if we asked her … well … you know.”

“What do you need to know?”

“We figure Piero’s old school. The Italian deli meats here are horrible on a good day.” Danno nodded, making a face. “And Hook here reminded me how much some Italians love their soppressata. If you’re gonna get soppressata and you’re from Jersey, it’s coming from Marpolo’s so we bet he’s having it shipped. We just have to find out how to get someone into Marpolo’s to get the information.”

“Vinne Marpolo. He’s probably doing the shipping and he’s an easy mark. You get a couple drinks into him and he’ll tell you the combination to the safe.”

“Do we know here he drinks?”

“That, we do not. But shouldn’t be too hard to find. Give a call up to the Machine and I bet you’ll have your answer.”

“Thanks Danno.” Wolfie replied, smiling.

“Anytime. And that stands true for the Machine as well. Anytime you need somethin, you just give them a call.” Danno commented as he walked away, smiling one more time.

Wolfie thought his stomach was gonna drop out from his balls … or maybe his balls were gonna come up out of his ears. He wasn’t sure but he smiled wider. Wolfie was a soldier … he had no pull, no rank. He did as he was told and if he needed somethin, protocol dictated he went to an Officer of the Club. The VP of his Club just basically told him not to worry about protocol … that he could handle it on his own. That he was being TRUSTED to handle it on his own. Yeah, that was definitely his stomach dropping out through his balls.

“Wolfie, close your mouth. It ain’t sexy.” Hook slapped his shoulder as he commented.

Wolfie snapped his jaw shut with an audible click and turned to look at his friend.

“Yea, the bugged out eyes ain’t doin nothin for you either. Blink a little … maybe take a breath?” Hook teased him.

“Did he just …”

“Give you the keys to the kingdom? Almost. He’s trusting you … which means he’s groomin you … which means we don’t let you fuck this up. And it still doesn’t mean you can date Grace ever in your life.”

“Seriously, are you guys ever gonna get it through your head she’s too young for me?”

“Seriously are you ever gonna get it through your thick skull that we know that but we also know that in 2 short years, she will be 16 and might possibly be allowed to date. And if you still have this Jersey sized crush on her that you have now, you might be able to do somethin about it. And until then, all us Wolves are keepin an eye on  you so you don’t fuck THAT chance up either.”

Wolfie stared at Hook, processing what he was hearing. He’d thought he’d been pretty good about keeping his feelings to himself and now here was his friend telling him they all knew and supported the idea … in a few years. 

Hook rolled his eyes at him. “You call her your Queen when you think we ain’t listenin. We’re always listenin, doofus. C’mon, finish the bike and then you can call Jersey.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wolfie's convo:
> 
> "Ah, how are you?"  
> "I'm fine, thank you. Listen, I need a favor. "  
> "No, it's not like the last time. There are no ugly women involved. No, I need to know if the son of Piero is still alive? "  
> "I appreciate the information Bennie. I owe you big for this. Yes, I'll send you a pineapple. Bye."


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've taken a few liberties with how clubs work ... I've been cliche ... Albert has been naughty ...

It took two phone calls and Wolfie knew exactly where Piero was living on the island. He was staying in one of the mansions 10 minutes away from Mamo’s, which gave him access to slip in and out quick and easy. Coordinating with Hook, they began to surveil the property and account for Piero’s comings and goings, his car and his habits. There were a few times that Wolfie almost took him out just on principle when he’d purposefully drive over a particular road that enabled him to see into Mamo’s track and Wolfie knew he was taking pictures of Grace for Arthur. Hook had to hold him back, reminding him this was a bigger project. 

Finally, after 2 weeks of surveillance and coordination, they had a plan in place. Danno and SEAL had flown to Jersey late the night before and Wolfie had taken Grace to Kono’s house. It was the first time he’d met the woman and was overwhelmed with her warm greeting and the aura of happiness that seemed to surround her. Hell, she’d hugged him as soon as the door opened … who does that? With Grace safely tucked away (and yes, Danno had brought him up to speed on why Kono’s place was as safe as Chin’s) the plan was to slip into Piero’s house while he was having his nightly walk along the beach nearby and wait for him to come back. They knew Piero had a call every night around 12:30 AM to Arthur and the idea was to have both teams of assassins move at the same time. Arthur would be in his office while Piero was usually on his lanai, which was boxed in with a large gate and rows of hedges and flowers. The furniture was arranged so that his back would be to the gate and Wolfie could easily come up from there while Hook was in the house, preventing him from getting inside. They wanted each to see the other’s death and for Danno to capture the image on Arthur’s tablet so whoever found him would also see Piero’s death. They all assumed the message would be delivered effectively enough.

Now Wolfie and Hook were laying low and perfectly still inside one of the guest bedrooms in Piero’s house, waiting for him to return from his walk so they could get into position. He’d come in and go straight to the shower in his master bedroom, which would give them the time they needed to move into place. Wolfie would go down to the gate and Hook would remain in the guest room until 12:20 AM. It was close to 11:45 PM already and they finally heard him coming into the house. Wolfie could feel the vibration going through his body at wanting to get this over with … this goomba piece of shit had been spying on Grace for months, sending pictures back to the DeFuria Family and compromising her safety. Taking care of him was going to be an absolute pleasure because it would mean Grace would be safe. He heard the shower come on and he gave Hook a nudge before carefully making his way through the house and out to the lanai area. He’d decided to use a blade instead of a gun because it was quieter and if they didn’t have a bullet, they didn’t have evidence (just in case the police were called). He’d been careful about scrubbing his body down, wearing clothes that didn’t leave fibers and was wearing a hat so his hair was under control. Hook hated having to burn a house this pretty just because the hit was sloppy. He’d emphasized that … several times. 

12:15 AM and Piero came out to the lanai. He was wearing a fucking dressing gown with slippers. How cliche can you get? (says the biker who wears jeans and t-shirts with his cut and biker boots almost exclusively, he reminded himself in his head). From his vantage point, he could see Piero and he could see the lanai door. The shadow that was Hook came down right on time and Piero’s conference call with Arthur started exactly at 12:30 AM. Hook locked the lanai door, Wolfie heard the snick of the lock and he moved, slipping an arm right up under Piero’s throat and squeezing. Almost immediately, Piero was grabbing at his arm and trying to dislodge Wolfie’s grip but while he was fighting for his life, Wolfie had absolute rage on his side. All the times this mook had taken pictures of Grace and spied on her … all the times he’d reported back to the DeFuria Family what she was doing … all the time he spent with Wolfie’s father but never bothered to come to the funeral?

Wolfie could feel him getting weaker and he could see on the tablet where SEAL and Danno were making their point with Arthur. The grunts and the sound of bones cracking were loud across the connection and when Wolfie glanced down, he saw SEAL holding Arthur in his chair while Danno crushed his fingers, one by one. His mouth was stuffed with something but the grunting was coming through. Wolfie leaned down against Piero’s ear, making sure he could hear him.

“Ti ricordi di me Piero? Vi ricordate il ragazzo che ha detto sarebbe un buon soldato, anche se non poteva essere disturbato a venire al funerale di mio padre? L'uomo che è diventato non piace quello che hai fatto con la mia regina. Questa è l'ultima volta che la famiglia DeFuria sarà nelle Hawaii. Si vede il vostro capo ottenere il suo? Stai diventando il vostro, pezzo di merda.”

Wolfie slid the blade in his other hand against the back of the lounger, right at the the top of Piero’s back, just to the side of his spine. He felt Piero stiffen with recognition and tried to gasp out a response but Wolfie wasn’t hearing it. He slid the blade into Piero’s back and pulled, severing his spinal column to paralyze the man. Sure enough, as soon as the knife moved, Piero’s arms fell and he was fighting for breath. Wolfie came around in front of Piero and sat in one of the chairs opposite him.

“You’re going to drown in your own blood because you can’t breathe. One flick of my wrist and you’re paralyzed from the neck down … which means your lungs don’t work and you can’t move any part of your body. You’re going to die Piero and I’m going to sit here and watch you.”

Wolfie crossed his legs, one over the other and watched as the blood bubbled at Piero’s mouth, popping and spraying across his face. Another struggled breath brought another blood bubble and he heard Danno calling out to him. He went over and leaned over the tablet. Arthur DeFuria was dead in his chair, his neck broken (along with, it looked like every finger).

“We got what we need, Wolf. You’re good to clean up and get outta there. You did good, son.”

Wolfie grinned as he heard the last rattle of Piero’s body before it finally stopped entirely. “We’ll be outta here in about 30 minutes, depending on Hook.”

The connection ended and Wolfie took a moment to bask in the praise before he motioned for Hook.

“What do you need me to do?”

“Get the fuck out of my way and don’t touch anything else.” Hook was in “clean mode” and Wolfie knew better than to fuck around with him. He saluted and made his way down to the gate and slipped through onto the private beach. He stripped all his clothes off and packed them into the waterproof bag Steve had given him before making his way towards the water by keeping to the edge of the property, where it was more hedge than sand. Once he reached the water, he looked to make sure he hadn’t left any footprints behind and slipped into the waves. He swam to the tip of Laie Point and climbed out, re-dressing and jogging back to where he and Hook had stashed their bikes at a strip mall on the Kam Highway. By the time he got there, Hook was waiting. 

“Are you seriously the slowest person on the planet? I thought you went running with Grace in the morning. Isn’t she teaching you anything?” Hook teased as he climbed onto his ride. 

“Hey Hook. Fuck you. I just swam like a mile and then had to backtrack. Bite my ass, dude.”

He started his bike, grinned at his friend and took off for home. 

***

It was a month before they heard anything at all. Tiny called Chin to let him know a message had been left at the garage that the new management was not interested in any Hawaiian ventures and would cease all engagement, moving forward. Chin passed the message along to Danno, who passed it along to Wolfie. He even hugged Wolfie as he clapped his shoulder and whispered a “Thank you” into his ear. 

Life went on from there … Grace was back in school but still went running with Wolfie and Steve every morning before school. On weekends, the Wolfpack would all usually be doing something and Grace would be there, whether it was surfing or riding trails. They also usually accompanied her to her exhibitions and competitions, whooping loudly every time she nailed a trick. Dinners during the week were either at Chin’s house or Danno’s place and there was always a huge gathering of people. Occasionally Wolfie’s particular skill set was required to send messages and either Hook or Danno himself would go along to help with the clean-up (Danno was partial to just torching everything. Hook would groan and grumble at him for it). 

It was early October when Danno approached Wolfie at the garage.

“We’re having a thing for Gracie’s birthday at the end of the month. We’re expecting you and your boys, yeah?”

Wolfie nodded. He’d known her birthday was coming and had been trying to come up with something that he could give her. “Absolutely. Just tell me the date and time and we’re there.”

“The 28th, at the Clubhouse. Be there around 7 that night.”

“Thanks Danno. We all appreciate being included.”

Danno tilted his head at Wolfie and chuckled. “Like I could ever NOT include Grace’s Wolfpack? Even I, my friend, am not that brave.” He walked away chuckling and Wolfie grinned as he continued working on the “clicking” Mercedes … again. 

***

The day of the party arrived and Wolfie was nervous. He was pacing back and forth in his house, debating whether or not the gift the Wolfpack had gotten for her was something she’d like. He’d come up with the idea and presented it to them and they’d all agreed it was an awesome idea and they’d all chipped in to ensure it arrived on time. It had wiped out most of the money he’d saved towards shipping his bike from Jersey to Hawaii but it was worth it, he hoped. Not even Danno knew what they’d gotten for her but he’d had it shipped directly to the clubhouse and the Wolves had helped to wrap it up. He’d decided to wear something a little nicer than usual for her birthday and he put on a button down pinstripe with a pair of dark jeans and his cut. Checking himself in the mirror one last time, he went outside where the rest of the pack was waiting for him. They all whistled and cheered at him.

“Lookit you, all dressed up. It’s like you’re tryin to make an impression or somethin.” Shiny yelled out.

“My, what big TEETH you have, Wolfie!” That was Tech.

He flipped them all off and swung his leg over the bike. They fell into their normal formation, with Wolf at the lead, Hook and Tech behind him, Shiny and Freckles behind them and Shakespeare bringing up the back. He’d never really thought about it before but even within their own group, there was a hierarchy and while they were all equals as friends, there was a reason he wore Packmaster on his cut. Not that he’d ever pull rank … they were all soldiers. 

Arriving at the Clubhouse, it seemed like there was a great turnout; there were about 30 bikes and a dozen or so cars already. They parked and Wolfie led the way into the Clubhouse where the first person he ran into was Steve. Literally … ran right into a solid wall of SEAL. Who reached out and grabbed him to keep him from falling on his ass. 

“Well I was looking for you but didn’t mean to run you over.” Steve laughed as he released Wolfie. “Chin wants to see you before the party gets started … all of you.”

Wolfie couldn’t imagine what he’d need to see Chin for but when the President beckons, you answer. They turned towards Chin’s office, Steve following behind and found the rest of the Officers already present.

“You need something, Chin?” Wolfie asked as soon as the door was closed.

Chin looked up smiling that quiet little smile that you could never tell if he was going to hug you or shoot you. It still unnerved Wolfie whenever it came out. 

“We were gonna wait until after the party but thought maybe we could get this done now before everything starts happening, in case one of you blows off early.”

Danno walked over toward Wolfie and extended his hand. Automatically Wolfie took his hand and shook it, feeling something in his palm. When Danno took his hand away, Wolfie was holding a new patch.

“1st Officer?” Wolfie was stunned. He looked up at Chin and then the rest of the Officers and they all nodded (Even Gutches managed a smile). 

“You’ve proven yourself time and again that you belong. Your Pack has done quite a bit for the ‘Auana since you came here and we wanted to acknowledge that. We’re going to officially recognize Jersey Wolves as an organization under the ‘Auana with your own structure as you want to set it up, Wolfie. But you’ll also be a 1st Officer to the ‘Auana mother club.”

Wolfie was completely speechless, even as the rest of the guys were all congratulating him. Danno grabbed him in a hug and told him quietly, “You deserve this, Dominic. I’m proud of you and I know Red would be too.”

No, that was not a teardrop on his lashes … it’s just dusty in Chin’s office … very fuckin dusty, OK?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wolfie's Speech: "Do you remember me Piero? Do you remember the boy you said would make a good soldier even though you couldn't be bothered to come to my father's funeral? The man I became doesn't like what you've been doing with my Queen. This is the last time the DeFuria Family will be in Hawaii. You see your Boss getting his? You're getting yours, you piece of shit."


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this took forever and I'm sorry. Between Christmas and moving, I was insanely busy but now I'm settled in ... we should be good from here on out.

Grace had spent the better part of the day getting ready for her party. There were several friends coming from school and almost everyone from Mamo’s had said they were coming, not to mention all the kids from the Club. It wasn’t that she was especially “girlie” but getting a little polish never hurt anyone. So she’d had her nails painted (and it had been hysterical to see Daddy sitting beside her in the pedicure chair) and was wearing a new red “kihei” that Auntie Kono had given her with a white tank-top underneath. The print on the kihei had a subtle tribal pattern that Kono said was appropriate for a girl becoming a young woman and Grace felt special for being given such a gift.

The party so far had been a blast. When her Wolves had first arrived, Uncle Chin had taken them all into his office and when they’d come out, everyone had been congratulating Wolfie for something. She noticed he wasn’t wearing his cut, which meant something had happened as far as his position in the Club. It made her heart ache a little in her chest because she knew that meant he was even deeper in with the Club and would probably outgrow the crush they shared. She tried to protect her heart but it never did listen and she found herself daydreaming about the day she’d be allowed to go out on a real date with him. She made her way over to them and was hugged by everyone with birthday wishes in her ear. When Wolfie wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her in, she took the opportunity to just breathe him in. Instead of giving him the chance to wish her a happy birthday, she beat him to the punch.

“What happened? You aren’t wearing your leather.”

He looked both uncomfortable and proud at the same time. Definitely something to do with his position in the Club then.

“Jersey Wolves are being recognized as a branch club for ‘Auana. Our own patch and everything and Chin invited me to be 1st Officer of the ‘Auana. So I’d be the go between for the Wolves and the ‘Auana.”

She smiled, big and bright, and hugged him close. She really was happy for him because she knew how much he wanted the recognition for the work he’d put in. There were some mornings when he’d show up for their morning run with Dad that he’d looked really tired and Grace knew those were the nights he “fixed cars” for the Club. She hated to think of the day she’d just be a kid to him but today, he was here at her party and that was something to celebrate. She slid her arm through Hook’s and Wolfie’s and led them towards the area that had been set up for socializing before making her rounds. Grace Williams was 15 years old today and she was going to be the perfect hostess.

There were snacks and drinks laid out for everyone and at 8pm promptly, a birthday cake was brought out for her. The design was a motorcycle with a blue violet gas tank and the numbers 1 and 5 on the seat. Before she could blow out the candles, she had to properly identify what kind of a bike it was and she grinned at her Danno.

“It’s a Fatboy, Danno. You can tell from the size of the tires and the bars.” she announced proudly and blew out her candles. 

“What’d you wish for, Monkey?” Danno asked and she just smiled at him. 

Cake was served and everyone was gathering for gifts. She tore into the paper for each gift, waiting to see what she’d gotten and thanking the giver profusely (even if she didn’t care for the gift itself, like the gift certificate to a spa for a facial). She’d laughed out loud when Billy Hanamoa gave her a dozen malasadas, knowing her addiction to the sweets and had hugged Jenna tight when she’d given her a new lid, this time with the profile of a monkey with grease on it’s face wrapping around the entire surface and “Grease Monkey” scripted into the back of the helmet. Grace also didn’t miss that her monkey had lipstick on and she grinned a little at Danno’s mini-rant about “growing up too fast”. She noticed Wolfie didn’t say anything, either way.

Wolfie and Shiny both carried over a suitcase-sized gift and laid it on the floor in front of her. It made a solid “thunk” as it came to rest on the floor and they stood back as she got down on the floor and began to peel back the paper, holding onto the flip her belly was doing and drawing the moment out as long as possible. However, the minute she saw the familiar logo, she gave up on peeling and she began to tear, already starting to tear up with joy.

“We thought about what you’d probably like and decided this would probably be the most useful for you.” Wolfie’s voice buzzed around her ear as she hesitantly ran her fingertips over the nameplate on the front of the box, engraved with ‘Grace of the Wolves’. “We hope you like it, Grace.”

She was up and wrapping her arms around him in a flash, squeezing him before moving to Shiny.

“My own tools! My very own SnapOn tools! Like does not begin to cover it. Guys this is amazing!” Grace was gushing and she didn’t care. Tools were expensive when you worked on bikes and there were too many times that she’d want for a tool and not have it on hand. This was a rolling case with her name on it and she recognized the case itself … it was SnapOn’s bundle that was put together specifically for motorcycle maintenance. Without opening the case, she already knew it would have wrenches, socket wrenches, screwdrivers and about 2 dozen other things that were essential for working on bikes. She took a minute to open up one of the drawers and nearly fainted. Each tool was engraved with with “GW-M”. When she looked up, Wolfie shrugged. “Tools disappear all the time. This way, you can identify which one belongs to you.”

He gave her one of what she was starting to think of as “their” smiles. It was subtle and lasted a glance but there was so much emotion on that one glance. She returned it, putting all of her emotion into that tug of her lips just before her attention was dragged away by another gift, this one from Uncle Chin and Aunt Malia. A customized board will do that and she couldn’t wait to take it out with Auntie Kono and test it on the waves. 

Finally, Danno and Dad came over and they both had their most innocent expressions on. She looked from one to the other to figure out which would break first and wasn’t surprised when it was Danno. Her heart, however, stopped dead in her chest at their gift. She couldn’t make any noise … she was sure breathing was important and she’d get around to it again in a minute. Her eyes went blurry and she realized it was because she was crying and a nanosecond later, she launched herself at her fathers and was crying and laughing and hugging them and trying to talk through her tears and her laughter.

They’d handed her 2 applications for license (both motorcycle and automobile) and a set of keys that she knew went to her Dad’s old Fatboy. 

“Danno and I have been fixing up my old ride for you, making sure it’s customized for your height and taking some of the weight out of it so you can balance easier. We figured that you’ve waited a year longer than Danno did and you know how to be safe around bikes. You even already know how to ride so it’s just a technicality of you passing the test in 6 months, when you’re eligible. You can ride at Mamo’s for now and then, once you pass your test the bike’s yours.”

Grace was laughing and crying so hard she was just nodding. She knew eventually she’d probably have to have him repeat everything he just said but she was just ecstatic. When Danno asked if she wanted to see her ride, she gasped.

“It’s here?”

“You think I’d let your Neanderthal father hand you keys and NOT have the bike here, ready to show you? You wound me, Monkey.” Danno’s eyes were dancing with mischief and she giggled. “It’s out front. Go on, take a look.”

She was off like a bullet from a gun and she ran out into the cool evening air to find her Da-no HER bike propped on it’s kickstand in front of the Club. It was noticeably shorter in distance between the seat and the handles but the characteristics that made it a Fatboy were still present and they’d even customized the gas tank with a monkey holding a blue violet. She turned her puppy dog eyes on Danno and smiled. He shook his head as he nodded. 

“Go on Monkey. You’ve got your helmet and your jeans. Take a spin around the lot.”

It was different from the light frame of the motocross bikes but she found her balance pretty quick; within 10 minutes, she was easily maneuvering the bike and came to a stop in front of the club, even pulling her bike in right between Danno and Dad’s bikes. She couldn’t stop smiling. Easily the best birthday of her life.

***

Over the next 3 months, every chance she got, Grace was on her bike and she loved it. Quickly learning the difference in weight and how she had to maneuver her body, she found an added bonus she hadn’t expected; she got better at her tricks on her motocross bike because she trusted the weight of the bike. She was getting more and more notice at her competitions as she won and Mamo asked Dad and Danno to come up to see him the next time she was riding. 

“I think it was time for us to talk about Grace’s future.” Mamo said and took a deep breath before continuing, “I want what is best for Grace’s future and right now, she’s at the limit of what I can offer her as a coach. You’re 15 years old and I’m getting calls daily about what your plans are going to be and what competitions you’re planning to attend. Scouters are planning their schedules to come see you. If you want to pursue the X Games, which I think you should because you could win, I’d like to make a few calls and invite a few coaches to come meet with you and your Dads. But understand, that’s going to mean a lot of time traveling off the island to the mainland. The coaches I can put you in touch with are some of the best and they are people I either trained myself or that I have known for longer than you’ve been alive. But you have to decide what you want to do.”

Grace sat back, thinking for a moment. She knew this would be the year she’d have to really push to qualify for the Games and having a coach that was actively involved with the national teams would give her the last edge she’d need to really make it; but the idea of leaving the island and winning the Games without Mamo at her side felt … wrong. He’d been there since the very first day she’d ever been on a bike; the first time she broke her arm, Mamo had been the one to bring her to the hospital (he’d let the hospital take care of actually calling Steve and Danno. Even Mamo’s bravery had limits.) As though they could read her thoughts, her Dad reached over to hold her hand.

“You don’t have to decide right this second Grace. You’ve always talked about the Games as being a goal but sometimes, when we get to a point where the goal is achievable, we get cold feet. We all want you to make the best decision for yourself as possible and we’ll support you either way.”

“No, it’s not that. I know I want this and I’d love to meet the coaches, Uncle. But I’m worried about what it would cost and whether it would affect school and I just …,” Grace started before getting up to wrap her arms around Mamo and hugged him close, “can’t imagine you not being there when I win.”

Mamo laughed, warm and familiar and wrapped his arms around her waist, petting her back. “What makes you think I wouldn’t be there when you win? I be there, just as loud as those Wolves of yours and just as proud as your Dads. Old Mamo will always be there to support you, Miss Grace.”

“And don’t worry about the money, Grace. If this is what you want, we want you to have the best.” Danno said and she smiled at them, tears in the corner of her eyes.

“Does that mean you’ll buy me a new bike? Because you kno-”

“Don’t push it, Monkey.” Danno grinned as he interrupted her.

***

Grace had never known exhaustion like this. Her new coach was going to kill her, she was certain of that and he was going to take sadistic joy in watching her fail. The bastard had taken over every minute of her life, convinced Danno not to let her ride her motorcycle anymore because it was “throwing off her center” and had ADDED to her workout regimen with more weights to “keep you lean”. 

Currently, she was in the gym at the Club with Gutches, doing barbell curls when she saw Wolfie come strolling past. He sat in the corner of the gym, watching her with a grin on his face and she grimaced at him. Gutches snapped his fingers to get her attention and pointed at Wolfie.

“Distraction. Pay attention to what you’re supposed to be doing.”

“Yes Sir,” she replied and attempted to ignore Wolfie but she could see him out of the corner of her eye. He was sitting there, just watching her and she felt that happy flutter in her chest every time she thought about it. But she gave Gutches 95% of her attention and he took her through the rest of her workout before finally telling her she’d done great and she was free to go.

“Thanks, Sir.”

“You’re doing great, Grace. We’re all real proud of you.” He smiled as he made his way over towards the showers in the changing room. 

“You are doing so great, in fact, that I never see you anymore, mia Regina. I came to see if you wanted to ride … give you a break from everything for a while,” Wolfie said as he stood up and made his way over to her. 

“Only if you promise to take me for shave ice and we never tell a living soul.” Grace whispered, grinning. Shave ice was their little secret since she’d gone with him for his first taste a few days after he’d come to the island to protect her. They’d snuck away from the rest of the Pack and he’d sworn her to secrecy about going without the rest of them. Ever since, “never tell a living soul about shave ice” was their little secret.

“Hurry up and get ready and we can hit Kame’s place on the beach. You ain’t gettin on my ride all sweaty like that.”

“You like me all sweaty, admit it,” she called over her shoulder as she headed towards her own changing area. She hadn’t meant for it to come out like that and realized as soon as the words left her mouth how that could be taken. She was turning back towards him to apologize when she heard him mutter under his breath, probably hadn’t meant for her to hear, ‘Only every day of my life.’ She’d finished turning and caught his eyes, significantly darker and there was a light in them she’d never seen. It touched something electric inside of her and made her want to rush across the floor to … she didn’t know what she wanted to do but something … 

“Go take your shower, Grace.” Gutches’ voice sounded from the other side of the workout area and she tore her gaze from Wolfie.

“Going!” she replied, hurrying to the safety of the water and wondering what it was her body wanted to do. Sure, she was perfectly aware of sexual arousal (Thank God for Kono. If she’d have to have had another talk with either of her Dads, she was pretty sure they would pop something important out of sheer embarrassment.) and had masturbated a few times but this was something else. This was something that made her insides feel like liquid electricity and not for the first time, she wondered what his fangs would feel like when he was kissing her. She wondered what it would feel like to have his hands on her waist while he kissed her … to run her fingers over the muscles of his arms and pull him closer. To feel his body against hers … sweaty and slick and his … 

Grace doubled over in the shower and had to bite the inside of her lip to keep from yelling out as her brain painted an image that her body responded to. 

It took her another 20 minutes before she was ready to face Wolfie again and by the time she came out, he was gone. Gutches was there and he explained that Wolfie’d gotten  called to take care of something.

Her heart didn’t break and she didn’t cry 

… at least not in front of anyone anyway.


	8. Chapter 8

Gracie didn’t see Wolfie much over the next few weeks. She’d see all the other members of the Wolves but Wolfie was nowhere to be seen. She had to wonder, as time stretched out, if Gutches hadn’t said something to him that day they were at the gym. Grace wasn’t stupid and she knew the Club pretty much watched every interaction she had with Wolfie closer than they watched their bikes. It was an awkward situation because she was so young and yet not and sometimes it was annoying because she liked to think she was more than just a collection of hormones (no-one needed to know about what happened in the shower that day, thank you very much). Thankfully, she had a couple of exhibitions coming up on the mainland and she was working hard to perfect her ride before going to New Mexico. 

She texted her Dad to let him know she was going to take her paddleboard out and he replied that was fine but to be home before it got too late. Her second text was to Wolfie, asking if he could take her to the beach. When he didn’t answer, she sighed and texted Freckles, who was happy to come get her. He arrived 10 minutes later and they loaded her board right next to his, heading for Waikiki.

“Okay so I gotta know something.” Grace started.

“Yes, it’s alright to occasionally put pineapple on pizza.” Freckles was an eternal smartass.

“No, its not. And that’s not what I need to know. What’s going on with Dominic?”

Freckles tensed up and took a deep breath before he answered. “Grace, things right now are hard. He’s doin a lot of work and has been slee-”

“David Lyons, don’t you bullshit me. I want to know the truth.” Grace very rarely dragged out a full name but she wasn’t going to be lied to. She watched his shoulders go up around his ears as he banged his head on the steering wheel.

“Someone talked to him, Grace. About things between the two of you. Someone suggested he keep his distance after they saw the two of you together.”

Grace could feel her pulse in her forehead and when Freckles chanced a look at her, he immediately found a place to pull over. 

“What’s wrong?”

“Fuckin Gutches.” Grace NEVER dropped the F-bomb. She always figured she could find better ways of expressing herself but this one was deserved. Freckles looked like he’d just seen an army of Martians cross the road and she could still feel her pulse but her fingers were cold. Apparently this is what being royally pissed off felt like.

“I know everyone watches us like an episode of 16 & Pregnant waiting to happen and I understand why but I like to think I’m more than just a collection of hormones looking for a place to break out. We’ve never even kissed, let alone done anything else and we’re NEVER alone together, even when we’re out by ourselves. I’d like to fucking think that I’ve earned a little bit of trust and we were on opposite sides of the gym and I made a comment and Gutches totally took it the wrong way and probably read Dominic the riot act over something completely goddamned innocent. I’m almost 16, I’ve never been kissed, I work my ass off for everyone, I train until my legs hurt so bad I can’t sleep and the one happy thing I have outside of my dads is you guys and now because everyone thinks I’m gonna lose my mind and do … do … something! … now he won’t talk to me, won’t even answer my texts and eventually that’s gonna spread to you guys and you came to Hawaii with me and I like being Grace of the Wolves and I love you guys and it’s all going to shit because I’m only 15 and I can’t help that I have a serious crush on Wolfie and pretty much have since the night I met him.”

Freckles was sitting in the driver’s seat, listening to Grace rant and watching her hands flail just like Danno. Once she fell silent, he reached over and pulled her into a hug.

“Yeah it sucks, kiddo but I can promise you a few things that might make things either easier or at least more tolerable. First and foremost, there ain’t a force on this planet that could ever change that you are always gonna be our Grace. You’re just as much Jersey Wolf as you are ‘Auana and Machine and that don’t change ever. Second, you’re right, we do watch you guys. It’s not just your Dad’s Club but it’s us too, the Wolves. But we’re not watchin you because we think you’re gonna fall in bed and fuck until your heads blow off and wind up doin’ something stupid. We watch because we don’t want anything to happen and that idiot you’re in love with doesn’t fuck it all up. Because I got news for you, Grace … that idiot loves you just as much. I’ve known him since we were 8 years old and I know him better than he knows himself most days. Yeah, you’re a kid but you won’t always be and we’re ALL waitin for the day you can decide for yourself what you want.”

“What do you mean? I know what I want.”

“Grace, you know Malia ain’t the norm, right? Most ol’ ladies of one percenters … they lose somethin the longer they’re in the Club lifestyle. You grew up in it so I know you’ve seen ‘em. You have to think hard about what you want, Grace. We all know where Dominic is headed. Your Dad’s been groomin him right along the same way Red did and givin him his own Club even though he’s the youngest one of ALL of us. He’s gonna head up the Club some day, kiddo. How is that gonna affect YOUR future? You want to ride motocross and then go into business or engineering. I’m not sayin you can’t do both but you need to really think about it and we’re gonna be here supportin’ you no matter what. Ain’t a single one of us Jersey Wolves that don’t wanna see you and Dominic sittin together like an Alpha and his Regina but we also want what’s best for your future. And those two things might be mutually exclusive. We love you, Grace. We love you enough to let you go do your thing and make us all proud.”

Grace was sobbing against his chest by the time he’d finished talking because she hated the fact that he was right. She’d seen other women in the Club like what he was talking about, mostly in Jersey but there were a few in ‘Auana. She never wanted to be like that … hard and bitchy and always somehow looking miserable. But the closer your man was to the top, the harder you had to be in order to keep him. And Dominic WAS headed for the top; Grace’d known that since Jersey. So it was maybe time to let go of her crush and focus on what she could have. She took another shuddering breath and leaned back, out of Freckles’ hug and managed a watery smile.

“Thanks, Dave. I think I needed that. You’re right about his being groomed and me wanting more than to just be a Club wife. We’ll see how it all goes, right?”

He looked at her and kissed her forehead. “Absolutely. We take life one breath at a time. Now let’s go paddleboard and get the sunburn of my life.”

Grace managed a laugh at that one and sat back, wiping the tears away from her eyes. She loved Dominic and apparently he loved her. But fairy tales weren’t real and this was probably a case where love wasn’t going to be enough. 

Life sucks sometimes.

***

The instinct to call Wolfie first was still strong and she was half-way to texting him when she remembered she was trying to wean herself off. He deserved to have a woman that was focused on him and maybe one his own age and she deserved to have her career. Maybe if the universe was kinder, they’d wind up back together somewhere but for now, she was trying to not cling so hard.

But she still had amazing news that she needed to share so instead of texting Wolfie, she texted the entire Wolfpack (including him) with the picture of her gold medal from the New Mexico exhibition. She’d taken first in every event she’d entered and won the overall. Her trainer had been incredibly proud and she’d even spent a few minutes talking with a scout and a couple of sponsors. Right now, her standings in the Nationals were looking more and more like an invite to the Games was solid. And once she’d gotten the experience under her tires, she could start looking at schools. She was thinking more and more that going to a school on the mainland would probably be better because it would make going to heats and exhibitions easier. 

When the reply texts came back, all congratulating her and telling her how awesome it was, she didn’t even cry that Wolfie barely said more than “Congrats, Monkey”. 

Well, not much anyway.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blame Albert. It's always his fault. Always.

Wolfie came through the door like a hurricane, tossing his lid somewhere across the room and storming towards the kitchen. He needed a drink and fuck anyone who wanted to give him shit about being 18. The first beer went down so fast he barely remembered opening it; the second one, he at least remembered cracking it open.

He fucking knew he was dancing on a razor’s edge with her. Knew the game they were playing with each other could come up and burn his ass and hers if they ever slipped. He knew where the boundaries were and he didn’t need some jacked up asshole telling him that he was being inappropriate with a minor. He couldn’t help his reaction to what she’d said, nor could he control the way she’d looked when she saw him. He could control how that reaction played out and he had zero intention of doing anything about it but instead of being given that trust he thought he’d earned, he got lectured by Gutches about how Grace had her entire life ahead of her and did he really want to fuck that up for her by making her a biker’s ol’ lady? The final nail in the coffin was the low whimper he heard coming out of the shower area she’d disappeared into. That sound was un-fucking-mistakable. He mumbled something to Gutches about needing to be somewhere and he ran. And now, here he was … 3 beers in and starting to get fuzzy, which was supposed to make it easier to forget about her, not hyperfocus on her.

From day one, Grace had been out of reach for a million reasons. First off, she was only 14 at the time and he wasn’t a fucking pervert. Second, she lived in Hawaii and (at the time) he was tied to Jersey. Third, she had plans and a future. Then you add in Danno and her Dad and you have a recipe for the most unattainable woman on the face of the planet. But that didn’t stop him from wanting. It didn’t stop him from letting her into his world and purposefully changing the course of his life just to be near her. The fact that the club here in Hawaii had allowed 6 new Prospects, sight unseen, was a fuckin’ miracle and he had a suspicion that maybe SEAL had a little more pull than he’d originally thought. Or maybe the name Danno Williams had that kind of pull. Either way, he was here as one of Grace’s Wolves (and he loved that’s what everyone called them) and he loved seeing her every day. Every time he would stumble out of bed to get up at the “o’fuck’thirty” of the morning to run, he did it because he looked forward to seeing her face and spending time with her. He looked forward to her laugh and her sarcastic little comments. It wasn’t until her birthday that he realized it had gone from being a crush to being full-blown in love with her; when she’d come up and hugged him and asked him about what was going on because she noticed he wasn’t wearing his cut. On HER birthday, she’d asked about him instead of anything else. 

Watching her face when she opened up the tools? That had been a sight for him as she ran her fingers over the nameplate and the soft, beautiful expression in her eyes. Her smile, the one she reserved just for him, made him lighter and better than he ever had a right to be as a 1%er. And then, watching her take to riding that Fatboy like she’d been born for it was a thing of beauty. He could just imagine riding with her down the Kam Highway, taking in the view from Pali Lookout or just taking a Sunday ride with all the Wolves and their Grace. But now all of that was ruined because of one moment. Not that he’d ever expected anything less anyway … back to the primary issue. Gutches was right in the end … Grace had a life planned out and there was no place for some criminal Jersey biker in it. And people did not leave the Club. Ever. So he drank and got absolutely fall down drunk for the second time in his life (the first time had been when his mother had died). 

***  
Weeks went by and it got marginally easier to ignore the texts and the calls. And by “marginally easier”, he was lying to himself because every time her ringtone sounded, it was a bullet straight through his heart. When he heard she was leaving for New Mexico, he wanted to see her off but knew better. He had to let her go and if that meant he had to be an asshole about it, it was far better in the end. When he got the text about her winning, he’d indulged in imagining himself by her side when she won the overall. His queen could never fail at anything she did and he was as proud of her as her fathers. He buried himself in work, both at the garage and working for the Club; taking up his time so he didn’t think about her. 

When she was back on the island and he’d run into her at the garage, he did his best to be polite but distant. The Wolves had all stopped riding him about it but they were still as close to her as ever and he hoped their presence would make up for his absence. He started looking around at other females that hung around the Club; attempting to distract himself. There was one girl in particular, a ditzy little thing that would flirt with him every time they did a run or had a gathering. She was tall and rail thin, wore a little too much lipstick and tried a little too hard to be what she thought a biker’s girl should be. He’d taken her out a few times and he caught himself always wishing she were as smart as Grace or something else that compared her to Grace. He’d not gone as far as taking her to bed but she was hinting around that’s what she was open for and he knew eventually he’d have to either fuck her or stop fucking around with her. The problem was, he couldn’t imagine anyone in his bed and the idea of fucking her was mechanical at best.

The day he’d taken her to the Club and they’d run into Grace had been the day he knew he was just a fucking asshole. She was working out with Gutches again and Lissa had wanted to stop by the Club to see inside (without being accompanied by a full patch member, girls like Lissa didn’t get inside). Wolfie knew Grace worked out with Gutches but figured he could avoid the gym and not see her; he hadn’t counted on her running into them. 

“Wow, this place is huge. I didn’t know all the changes they made when you rebuilt it. You got a room here?” Lissa was pressed up against him, as close as she could get and the suggestion wasn’t lost on Wolfie. 

“Yeah, we all have bunks here but no private rooms. For privacy, I guess you and I would have to go some-OOF!” Wolfie exhaled sharply as something turned the corner and slammed right into him, knocking Lissa to the ground. He looked up, ready to chew out whoever it was and saw Grace, sweaty and out of breath and staring at him with all the heartbreak in the world in her eyes.

“Sorry. Didn’t see you. Gotta get the First Aid kit.” Grace was off like a rabbit again, but not before Wolfie saw the blush and the tears in her eyes. His instinct was to go after her but he heard Lissa clearing her throat from where she was on the floor and he offered his hand to help her up. She kept hold of his hand as she stretched and leaned in close.

“I didn’t know they let kids run wild in here. Seems like a rude little bitch, just takin off like that.”

Wolfie never called Lissa again after that day. Through the rumor mill he heard that she’d decided she wanted someone a little bit older and it wasn’t too long before she was seen hanging around another guy and riding around on his bike. 

***

The Wolfpack were going to a celebration and Wolfie was arguing with himself as to whether or not he wanted to go. Grace had officially been invited to participate in the X Games and had gotten a sponsorship to take care of the costs. She was officially a professional athlete at 16 and Wolfie was officially a heartbroken asshole at 20. She stopped texting him, other than the group texts she’d send the whole Pack. He’d seen her out on a date with Billy Hanamoa a couple weeks back. He’d dated a few women, even tried bedding a few but it wasn’t the same. But he was pumping out cars and bikes from the shop at twice the pace of anyone else and he was growing the Jersey Wolves presence on the island with both good and bad reputation. They volunteered to help re-build a school that had been partially burned in a fire, did a charity ride for protecting sacred lands and Shiny had a close relationship with a guy who did a lot of work with protecting the oceans and offering surf lessons to kids that couldn’t afford them otherwise, so the Jersey Wolves found themselves doing beach cleanups quite a few weekends. The Pack was pretty sure Shiny and this guy were dating but they hadn’t said anything yet. Wolfie himself was building a reputation that rivaled even Danno’s as an Enforcer. Together with Hook, they inspired cooperation from people who thought to cross the Wolves or ‘Auana in general.

In the end, he was guilted into going because, as Packmaster, he had to at least make an appearance. So he’d arrived a little bit ago with the rest of the Wolves and, just like her birthday, she came up and hugged each of them. She might have clung a little tighter to Wolfie than she did anyone else and he might have savored feeling her in his arms a little more but neither of them acknowledged it. She was talking a mile a minute and the happiness in her eyes told him he’d made the right decision. There was no way she’d have gotten here if he’d been hanging around. 

“You are coming, right Wolf?”

Her question broke through his cloudbank of doubt and he blinked before realizing she’d asked him a question.

“What? I’m sorry, I was thinkin about somethin else entirely.”

She rolled her eyes and the familiarity of just that cracked something inside of him.

“I said, we are leaving for Minneapolis July 10th but you guys are following on the 12th, right?” her voice sounded concerned, like she was worried he wouldn’t be there.

“Always said I’d be there when you win, mia Regina and I meant it.” He hadn’t, however, meant to use his nickname for her and they both blushed hotly when he slipped it out.

“Good. I need all of my Wolves there to cheer me on while I kick ass.” Grace offered him one of “their” smiles and he returned it before he could stop himself. It felt good to be here … to be with the Wolves and their Grace. It felt good to be able to joke and laugh with her and see that joy in her face. He didn’t miss the smiles on her fathers’ faces when he saw them all together either, but didn’t know what to make of it. The rest of the night was spent socializing and bullshitting with Club members and it was getting pretty late when he slipped away for a minute to spend a few minutes in the quiet. He was standing on the back balcony of the Clubhouse when he heard her coming out.

“You stalkin me?” he teased her.

“Yep. Because I knew at this exact moment you’d be out here and I planned on needing to go to the bathroom at just this minute.”

He laughed and turned around to see her giggling.

“I saw you come out here as I was coming back downstairs. I wanted to say hey and tell you how really glad I am that you’re here. I’ve missed my Wolf.” Her voice was low and hesitant, like she was afraid of what his response would be. 

“I’ve missed you too. More than I should, probably.”

“Why did you stop talking to me? Was it Gutches?”

He looked at her sharply and realized she’d figured it out.

“He made me realize a few things and I decided that it would be better if I were to be scarce.”

“He scared you off by making you think I couldn’t have both you AND my career. Yeah, I kinda figured that’s what happened. I had the same conversation with someone else too … everyone telling me how great my career is going to be and what a future I have.”

“They ain’t wrong, Grace. You realize you’re one of the youngest competitors at the Games? And the only girl competing in your division. This could lead to your entire future being handed to you on a platter.”

She’d moved closer and she whispered, almost too low for him to catch it. “Doesn’t mean I don’t still have fairy tales of my Wolf being there beside me while I conquer the riding world. Did I tell you I finally decided I was going to attend UH? Once the Games are over, I’m done with motocross. The Games are pretty much the pinnacle of the sport and there’s no real future in it once I get another growth spurt. I’m already almost too tall and my center of gravity is changing all the time. I had to change my routine three times in the last year because of how I’m growing.”

He was shocked. How had he not heard about any of this? Why hadn’t anyone to … because he’d informed them he didn’t want to know. He’d told his Wolves that he didn’t want updates on Grace unless it was that she’d been hurt. 

“So you’re just … walking away?” He looked her in the eye, looking for truth and finding it there.

“I’m walking away with a win at the X Games but yeah, I’m done after this. Win or lose. So I’ll be here in Hawaii all the time … no more traveling to the mainland, no more scrambles for airplanes at strange airports when I haven’t even had my coffee yet.” She smiled up at him. When had she gotten so close? When had his arms gone around her shoulders. 

“That’s great. I mean I know you’ll kick ass at the Games and then come home. What are you studying?”

Here she blushed and grinned. “You’re gonna laugh at me.”

“Non avrei mai ridere di mia regina.”

She tilted her head and he smiled. “I would never laugh at you.”

“I’m going to study Automotive Engineering. I figure that maybe I can fine tune some of the engines that are out there now for motocross so they can get more power in a smaller frame so the bikes can be a little lighter and make tricks easier and safer.” She explained, grinning up at him and blushing.

“That’s a program they offer in Honolulu.”

“Why yes, Captain Obvious, it is.” Her eyeroll was one of her best and before he could stop himself … knowing he should stop himself … he leaned down and kissed her while she was rolling her eyes. 

It barely took the space of a heartbeat before she was returning his kiss, her arms around his waist and leaning up against his body. This wasn’t a kiss that was full of hunger and need, although Wolfie felt all of those things in his gut. This was just finally allowing himself to taste how sweet she was and giving her his heart. He knew in that millisecond that he was going to belong to her for the rest of his life, whether she wanted him or not. 

He tightened his grip around her shoulders and slid his hand to the back of her head, sinking his fingers into her hair as he licked at her lip with his tongue. Her mouth opened and he could taste how perfect she was. His tongue slid past her teeth and lapped at hers, one of his fangs catching on her lower lip and he felt her shiver as she pushed her tongue against his, hesitantly sucking as she returned the kiss. Even as chaste as the kiss was, there was passion on both sides and he was aware they needed to be careful not to let themselves get lost in it. 

When he finally did break the kiss, they were both breathless and she was gorgeous. Her lips were swollen and slick, her face was flush and her eyes were blown wide open … she was holding onto his shoulders and he could feel the tremble in her body. She giggled a little, like she was drunk and looked up at him.

“I always wanted it to be you, yanno.” Even her voice was huskier.

“Wanted me to be what, Grace?” OK his voice wasn’t doing any better.

“My first kiss.”

He was stunned into silence. He stared at her, trying to process what she was saying.

“You … you mean you’ve never …?” He couldn’t bring himself to say it.

“Dominic, it’s always been you. It always will be you.”

He reached for her, holding her close and feeling her heart beating against his body and he kissed the top of her forehead. “Eia au, eia ‘oe, ke aloha.”

She laughed against his chest. “You googled it.”

“Yep. I’m not just a pretty face from Jersey yanno. I have a brain in there too.”

He leaned back and smiled down at her, leaning to kiss her again, soft and gentle against her lips before taking her hand in his and leading her back to the party.

“People are gonna wonder if I kidnapped you.”

“As I recall, I kidnapped you first, Mio Lupo,” she replied, tripping a little over the pronunciation.

Neither one of them saw the shadow in the corner that watched the entire exchange.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mio Lupo - My wolf


	10. Chapter 10

Grace wasn’t a “Dear Diary” kind of a girl but if she had been, she’d be writing page after page after page about how she felt tonight. The party had started great but the shining moment would forever be that kiss. The feel of his lips against hers had burned all the way down to her toes and when his fang had caught her lip, she thought she was going to explode from the sheer joy. She really didn’t remember the rest of the party, but she recalled feeling Wolfie’s hand on her shoulder or her hip or his body next to hers for the rest of the night. 

At one point, she stood up in front of everyone and thanked them for coming, thanked them for their support. Or at least she hoped that’s what she said because she honestly couldn’t remember. She felt drunk and floaty for the rest of the night and by the time she was going home, she was still on cloud 9. Waving goodnight to everyone, she slid her leg over her bike and waited for Tech and Shiny, who’d promised to escort her home (Grace still wasn’t allowed to travel alone but Tech and Shiny where always eager to transport her from Point A to Point B). By the time she reached her house, she was still tired but had a buzzy sort of energy.

She’d kissed him! Well technically he’d kissed her but they’d KISSED! It was like riding motocross up the biggest hill and doing a perfect Nac Nac. It was like the first time Dad had taken her to fly the fields. It was … it was perfect. She ran her tongue over the tiny bump his fang had left on the inside of her lip and closed her eyes, reliving the moment as she undressed and got ready for bed. When she got back to her room, she had a message waiting on her phone.

(WOLF: U home safe?)  
(MONKEY: Yup. Safely delivered 2 house)  
(WOLF: U OK?)  
(MONKEY: Y wouldnt i be?)  
(WOLF: Just checkin.)  
(MONKEY: 2nd thoughts about 2nite?) Her heart slammed stop when she hit SEND on that one.  
(WOLF: Never, mia Regina) And now her heart was racing at twice the normal speed and her fingers were shaking.  
(MONKEY: 2nite was everything i ever wanted dominic. its been 2 yrs almost u been here)  
(WOLF: 2 yrs of pineapples, a lack of good pizza and having u here beside me)  
(MONKEY: ill always be beside you, mio lupo)  
(WOLF: good. i need a place to rest my elbow sometimes)  
(MONKEY: im not that short, asshole)  
(WOLF: yes babe. u r)  
(MONKEY: maybe ur just abnormally tall)  
(WOLF: im perfect. u use me to see over crowds, remember)  
(MONKEY: ur right. ur my periscope. i forgive u)  
(WOLF: its late, Grace. u need ur sleep)  
(MONKEY: r u coming to run in the morning)  
(WOLF: babe its almost 1am. how the fuck r u running in 4 hours)  
(MONKEY: ill see u at 7)  
(WOLF: u make the coffee ill bring malasadas)  
(MONKEY: nite)  
(WOLF: good night, my queen)

Grace held the phone against her chest and grinned, falling backwards against her pillows. Yup, tonight had definitely been the most amazing night of her life and far surpassed everything else.

***

At 6:58am, Wolfie was standing in the kitchen with malasadas and drinking coffee. Grace had come down to grab a malasada and then disappeared back upstairs to “finish getting ready”. 

At 7:02am Wolfie was sitting in the living room on the couch, next to Grace with Danno and SEAL across the room, both with their arms crossed over their chests. They looked neither happy nor pissed off so Wolfie wasn’t sure if he was about to die or not. Unconsciously, he reached out and put his hand on Grace’s back, like he’d done a thousand times before except this time, his body remembered what hers felt like pressing up against him last night and the simple touch became something much more. He had to count to 20 in Italian in his head to keep his cock from getting hard. He figured that was not appropriate right now.

“Is there anything that maybe one of you might want to talk about this morning?” Danno asked, looking from Wolfie to Grace and back again. There was something in Danno’s eyes as he looked at them but Wolfie couldn’t place it. 

“I can’t find my good running shoes and my bike needs to be tuned up so I thought I’d bring it to the garage this week. I need $50 for the fundraiser at school to raise money for the restoration of the beach villages that were damaged in the storms last month. Wolfie and I kissed last night. You promised that you’d help me look for a dress for after the Games to wear to the dance. Your mother tex-” Grace was interrupted by the SEAL.

“Back up a few syllables there, ali’i. Let’s talk about the one where he,” Steve pointed at Wolfie, “kissed you.”

Wolfie felt his face turn purple and he couldn’t quite meet anyone’s eyes. He was preparing himself for the riot act and being forbidden from ever seeing Grace again.

“Wolfie and I kissed. He didn’t kiss me, I didn’t kiss him. WE kissed. Why is this a big deal?” Grace’s voice was even, but there was a defensive edge to it. He squeezed her hand gently.

“Well for starters, I don’t like the idea of my daughter kissing. It means you’re a grown up who can make your own decisions and I’m always going to see you as that 9 year old with pig tails. Second, I don’t like the idea that said kiss occurred without a certain man coming to me and asking if he could date you. Third … shit, help me out here Steven. I need at least three things to sound convincing.” Danno was moving his arms around but Wolfie could feel Grace starting to giggle beside him and that relaxed him a little. He looked up and met Danno’s eyes; the man was pulling his leg and wasn’t upset in the slightest.

“We could say that he picked the least romantic balcony on the island to kiss her. I’d think the man dating our daughter would at least try to be a little smooth and maybe NOT kiss her on the balcony of the Clubhouse full of bikers who all consider said young lady to be their responsibility? We could go with our having to spend an extra 45 minutes at the Club after she left as everyone came up to us to make sure we knew Grace had been seen kissing Dominic and were we OK with that.”

Danno was nodding. “That’s a good one. Twelve times, Monkey. Twelve times I had people stop me to tell me about your kiss. I do not ever want to know that much about who you are kissing or where you are kissing them. Especially if the kissing is with this guy here, ok? Can you do that for your Danno, Monkey? Please? I’m traumatized.”

Grace lost it and started giggling, her hand clenching around Wolfie’s.

“I’m very sorry that our kiss has caused you such distress, Danno. I’ll be sure, in the future, to keep our kissing to strictly private places where no one would ever have a need to tell you about it.” Grace deadpanned.

Once they’d all collected themselves, Steve and Danno sat across from the couple and took a moment before Danno spoke.

“In all seriousness, I’m just happy that the two of you were able to wait until now. I don’t know what this means for your future, if this one kiss is a one shot deal or if there will be dates involved. I just want to be clear … Dominic, I respect the fuck out of you and you’re already aware of the track you’re on so please don’t take this the wrong way.

“Grace, I never wanted this for you. I never wanted you to be an ol’ lady, especially not to someone that is headed for President. I wanted you to grow up, leave the club behind and go do something you loved. I’m a hypocrite, yes because your mother married me and I was just like Dominic here once upon a time. And if you tie yourself to this life, it ain’t gonna be easy.”

Wolfie kept his mouth shut. He knew everything Danno said was true and it reminded him of why he’d made himself scarce the first time around. His stomach turned and he wanted to hate himself for ever falling in love with her … but he just couldn’t do it.

“I know all that, Danno. I’ve known that all my life because the Club has always been my life. Between Uncle Red and all my Aunties and Uncles here in ‘Auana, I grew up with bikers around me all the time. I know the dangers, I know how hard it is to be someone in the world when you’re a biker’s ol’ lady. I know how hard some of the women have to be in order to hold onto their men, especially as they move up into the Officers. I know you never wanted this for me but I never thought of it. I thought that I would love who I love and the rest, I’d figure out with him. I don’t know if Dominic and I are gonna last forever but I deserve the right to try, at least. I deserve to be able to date him if we want. If he wants. You know what I mean.” Grace’s voice was confident as she spoke and once again, Wolfie was blown away by her maturity.

“I owe you an apology, Sir.” Wolfie spoke to Steve. “When you agreed to let me guard your daughter in Jersey, I promised you that I’d treat her like my sister until you said otherwise. I broke that promise last night.”

“Your apology is noted and acceptance is pending.” Steve said, winking at Wolfie.

“We just want to make sure you’re both aware of what this will mean. Of what the perception will be, both within the club and outside of it.” Danno said.

“I knew what I was getting into a long time ago.” Wolfie said.

Grace smiled as she looked at Wolfie before returning her focus to her fathers. “I’m 16 … I’ve known what I’d be getting into for at least the last 10 years. I’m not running away to get married in Vegas, Dad. I’m MAYBE going out for sushi and a movie.”

Wolfie grimaced. “Can’t we do burgers instead? I still can’t get the taste of that pokay crap you made me eat and put me off seafood forever.”

They laughed and everyone stood. Wolfie offered his hand to Steve and to Danno while Grace hugged each of them. 

And you know the worst part of all of that? 

Grace STILL made him run!


	11. Chapter 11

Time seemed to fly until suddenly, Grace was packing her bags for Minneapolis. There’d been a whirlwind of training, tweaking her ride, working out and nights where she’d fallen into her bed, already asleep. There’d also been Wolfie … right beside her for every second of it. He brought her coffee when she was working on her tricks and was getting frustrated they weren’t perfect, snuck her a malasada when she was trying to get her homework done and was cursing whoever it was that felt history was important to know. He even stole a few kisses here and there, but if we’re being honest here, Grace gave them up pretty willingly. As far as the Club went, there was absolute zero surprise when word spread that Grace and Wolf were together (although Lissa did have a rather nasty look on her face when she realized Grace was the same girl who’d barreled into her the day she’d been there with Wolfie)

Currently, Wolfie and Hook were sitting in her bedroom while she packed and offering commentary on what she considered “packing”. 

“The Games are technically 8 days, right? And we’re gonna be there for 10 days. Why are you packing enough clothes to camp out for a month in Siberia?” Hook asked and Grace rolled her eyes.

“There are events that I’m going to have to go to that I can’t wear the same outfit for. Press conferences if I win my heats, interviews if I lose, meetings with sponsors. I guarantee you, I’m packing 23 outfits and I’ll probably end up buying at least 2 more while we’re there. Also? It’s Minneapolis, not Oahu. Our average temperature is in the 80s, theirs is closer to the 60s and at night, they dip down into the 50s while we only get down to the 70s … we’re talking a twenty degree temperature difference. C’mon, you guys know this. Jersey gets cold.”

“We kama’aina, wahine.” Wolfie said, winking at her.

“Yeah ok haole. You kama’aina when you catch broke break at Pipeline without catching it on the sand, brah.” Grace retorted, giggling.

“I remember a time when my Monkey spoke English. Do you remember that time, Steven?” Danno’s voice came from her doorframe and she favored him with a huge smile.

“Bodda you tita mo’ bettah speak pidgin den English?” Dad was always good for winding Danno up with her. They could carry entire conversations in pidgin whereas Danno had never picked up the slang. Wolfie could hold his own for a while but once it got thick, he was lost. Shakespeare had learned Hawaiian and pidgin with the same ferocity as Grace and was now as fluent as any local. Grace giggled as Danno threw his hands up in the air.

“Are you almost done packing, Monkey?” Danno asked and Grace shook her head.

“My gear is all in that bag,” she pointed to a duffel bag on the floor, “and my ‘look good for the camera’ clothes are in this bag. I still have to pack a bag with stuff that I can wear when I’m just hanging out or riding.”

“Wait … you mean you’re taking MORE clothes? Isn’t there a weight limit on a plane?” Hook joked.

“Hey look at it this way, man. At least she’s only bringing 10 pairs of shoes.” Wolfie deadpanned.

“I hate all of you so much.” Grace grumbled as she continued to carefully lay her clothes in the bag. “You know, you could help instead of just sitting there. Grab that suitcase by your feet and throw 6 pairs of jeans, a couple of hoodies and maybe 10 t-shirts. Oh and my Chucks, I’m gonna need those. And … what do you think Dad? Will I need to bring my boots?”

Steve shrugged. “I’ve never been anywhere that a good pair of boots was a bad thing, Ali’i.”

“OK, throw my Docs in too.”

Wolfie and Hook rolled their eyes and grumbled but did as they were told and soon enough, all 4 bags were ready to go downstairs (she’d needed an extra wardrobe bag for her dress for the closing ceremonies and the dress for the opening ceremonies). The boys carried the bags down and Grace took one last look around the room, making sure she got everything. 

“You know, if you did forget something, there is this thing called FedEx. They send stuff like magic overnight.” Wolfie whispered in her ear as he wrapped his arms over her shoulders from behind. Grace smiled as she leaned back into his embrace and rested her head against his chest.

“You know it’s not magic. It’s expensive and I’d rather spend that money on something fun, like a new bike. There’s a guy over on Maui that has a frame for a decent shovelhead and I was thinking that maybe you would be willing to help me build my first chopper?” Grace asked.

Wolfie kissed the top of her head and grinned. “Only if you promise to let me get the tank design.”

“Done.” Grace turned in his arms and leaned up on her toes to kiss him gently. “C’mon, I wanna get one more ride in before we leave tonight.”

He leaned down and kissed her with a little more promise, wrapping his arms around her shoulders to hold her against him. “Sometimes I think you like that bike more than me.”

She grinned into his kiss and pushed at his chest. “Sometimes, I do. My bike doesn’t complain about my shoes.”

She giggled as she walked out the door and down the steps. Wolfie just grinned and called after her “No-one needs 12 pairs of shoes Grace. No one!”

***

When they finally landed in Minneapolis, Wolfie had never been more glad in his life to be off a plane. Between the delays leaving Honolulu and the weird turbulence that had knocked them around the entire flight, he was done with flying for a while. If there were a way back to the island without using a plane, he’d be willing to investigate it.

Both as promised and not, there was an honor guard of the Valhalla to meet them at the airport but it was barely what anyone would consider respectful. 2 Prospects and their Roadmaster, not even the VP or the Secretary. Almost instantly, Wolfie didn’t like them and couldn’t help the snort of derision that came out of his mouth. Danno looked over at him and nodded slightly, indicating his own less-than-impressed reaction. But they approached the group, Danno extending his hand first.

“Danno Williams-McGarrett, Vice President, Honolulu ‘Auana.” The Roadmaster nodded, but didn’t take the proffered hand.

“Names Ron Hammerstein, Roadmaster for the Valhalla. I’ll assume the rest of the bunch is your guard. We’ll follow you to your hotel and then you can come by the clubhouse at your convenience to meet our President.” His voice had the nasal indication of born and bred Minnesota, which grated on Wolfie’s eardrums. Before he could say anything, Danno cleared his throat.

“Actually, this here is Dominic Robustelli. He’s my second as President for the Jersey Wolves chapter of ‘Auana and that’s his Wolfpack behind him. This is my daughter, and his woman, Grace. The Wolfpack is here as HER guard for our time in Minneapolis.” Danno was practically growling and Steve put his hand against his arm. Ron eyed them like they were some sort of parasite and swung his leg over his ride. 

“Like I said, we’ll follow you to your hotel.” After that, he was silent.

Wolfie was itching to knock him down a peg but shook his head and followed Grace, who was behind Danno and Steve, towards the rental truck. There’d been some hope that they’d be offered bikes while they were here but apparently, Minnesota didn’t care to roll out the hospitality carpet. Instead, he was struck by an idea and he pulled out his phone as they loaded the truck.

“Nothing like a warm welcome from a Club, hmm?” Steve said, once they were following the Minnesota riders. 

“I get the impression they don’t care for our relationship. That could be a problem, depending on how the President is. Grace, I want yo-”

“To stick to my Wolves like they are an extension of my own body. To never be outside arms reach of any of them or you. To be aware of my surroundings and be prepared to put someone on their ass if they need it.” Grace finished for him, smiling.

“Always knew I raised a smart girl.” Steve volunteered.

The whole time, Wolfie was scrolling through his phone until he found the number he was looking for. “Danno, think we can wait about 7 hours for some rides to be delivered?”

Danno turned in his seat, a questioning look on his face. 

“I have a guy in Chicago. He owes me a favor and I’m sure he’d be more than happy to bring some rides up and show some hospitality,” came Wolfie’s reply. “But I figure from Chicago to here, even dead-heading it, it’s going to be 7, maybe 8 hours.”

“You have a guy that’d be willing to bring nine bikes 8 hours across to Minneapolis?” Danno’s face was a combination of confusion and impression.

Wolfie preened. He didn’t know why it was always important for him to prove himself, especially to Danno and Steve, but he was glad for the opportunity to show off his resourcefulness.

“I have a guy. Let me give him a call.” Wolfie dialed and waited. The phone was picked up on the 2nd ring.

“The fuck, Robustelli. You don’t call, you don’t write. It’s like you don’t love me anymore. I thought we had somethin special! Or was I just a piece of meat to you?” The voice at the other end of the line was deep and full of laughter.

“Al, you know you’ll never be more than a piece of meat to anyone that’s ever known you. Howzit, man?”

“Howzit? The fuck you pick that shit up from? Oh wait, that’s right … you got yourself hooked up with Honolulu. They corruptin your good Jersey sensibilities over there?”

“As often as they can, Al. But it’s alright, I have a master plan. I’m eventually gonna open a pizza joint and get them all hooked on good food, then take over the whole chain of islands.”

“This is a good plan, kid. But seriously, I hear good things. I’m glad to know you’re okay. Now what can I do for the ‘Auana Brotherhood, my friend?”

Wolfie smiled as Grace leaned her head on his shoulder, drifting towards sleep. He wrapped his arm around her and settled her against his chest before continuing. 

“Here’s the thing Al. I’m up here in Minnesot-”

“-on purpose?” Al sounded shocked.

“Yeah on purpose. I’m here with my woman and the rest of my Wolfpack and the Vice President for ‘Auana and his husband. Grace is competing in the X Games and Minnesota hasn’t exactly rolled out the carpet so we’re stuck on four wheels. I was hopin’ may-”

“-how many rides you need, kid?” Al’s voice went from playful to serious.

“I’d need nine rides, Al. Think you can hook me up?”

“Gimme your hotel information. I can have ‘em to you in 4 hours.”

“Al, it’s NINE hours to Chicago from here.” Wolfie was confused.

“Yeah kid. But it’s only FOUR hours from Milwaukee and I got a brother up there. Happy to take care of you, kid.” Al’s voice was full of respect and admiration.

Wolfie conveyed their hotel information and ended the call. Looking up, Danno tilted his head.

“When you say “you know a guy”, you might want to mention the guy that owes you the favor is Al Giabetta.” Danno was laughing.

“He’s a guy, right? And I know him. And he owes me.”

“I don’t even want to know under what circumstances the Butcher owes you a favor.” Danno shook his head and turned back towards the road. “But thank you. I appreciate you burning a favor like that for us.”

“We’re Ohana, Danno. That’s what we do,” came Grace’s sleepy voice, “now shut up and let me sleep. I have to register in the morning.”

Wolfie tightened his grasp around Grace and she snuggled in a little closer.

They’d barely reached the driveway for the Minneapolis Hilton before the “honor guard” was disappearing down the road. Danno shook his head and Wolfie concentrated on balancing Grace so she wouldn’t wake up too much. It wasn’t hard, considering she slept like the dead no matter what position you put her into. He had her propped up against his side with Tech standing behind him in case she started to fall while Danno and Steve got them all checked in. In total, they were taking up 5 rooms (Grace was getting her own room so she could really rest and there was a silent agreement with the Wolves that someone would always be on guard inside her room) near the top of the hotel and the view was pretty spectacular. Not that Grace noticed because Wolfie’d picked her up in his arms and carried her to the elevator, listening to her snore lightly in his ear as they went to her room and laid her down. Her Dads brought her bags in and Tech was left with the first watch. He set himself up on the pullout couch and waved good night.

Wolfie and Hook were in the room next door to Grace’s and by the time they’d gotten everything settled, exhaustion was hitting both of them pretty hard. He had every intention of staying up and waiting for the call from Al’s friend but no sooner had he closed his eyes than he was completely oblivious to the world.

***

Waking up the next morning, still dressed in his clothes from the night before and feeling much more rested, it took about 3 minutes before he realized he’d stiffed Al’s friend. Checking his phone, there was a message waiting and he cringed as he waited for his voice-mail.

“Hey kid, I’m gonna guess you’re passed out so I told Robbie to get a room for the night for the crew. They’re stayin at the Holiday Inn and you can call him when your princess eyes open up and you’ve had your coffee. Maybe you can take a trip to Chicago before you go back to your island and you can introduce me to this girl that has you so wrapped up you’d willingly go to fuckin Minneapolis. And come have a real pizza.”

Wolfie laughed out loud, which woke Hook up and he replayed the message for him. “Real pizza, my ass,” came Hook’s reply as Wolfie headed into the bathroom to take a shower.

He called Danno and let him know about the bikes and between the 9 of them, they managed to get showered, dressed and fed in time to call over to Robbie so Grace could get her registration taken care of. 30 minutes later, the rumble of engines came down the street and Wolfie turned to see 10 bikes pulling up to the curb.

“You Dominic?” asked a greying guy wearing a shirt that offered directions on how to fuck yourself. 

“Yes Sir. Dominic Robustelli, 1st Officer, Honolulu,” he offered his hand and was relieved when it was taken. 

“Robbie Giabetta, cranky ol’ bastard,” he replied with a smile.

“This is Danno Williams-McGarrett, Vice President for ‘Auana,” Dominic gestured towards Danno and Robbie extended his hand with a grin. 

“Hell, even I know Danno Williams. Scariest motherfucker in the tri-state area. It’s a damn fine pleasure to meet both of you.”

Handshakes and introductions were made all around (although no-one expressly indicated Steve and Danno’s relationship, being that their first experience up here hadn’t been so positive) before Robbie handed the keys to his bike over to Wolfie. 

“Al tells me you’re gonna be in town about 10 days and he’s invited you to go on down to Chicago after that. You can leave the bikes with him if you head that way or we can figure something else out. The boys are flying back tonight and I’m assuming I’ll see you in Chicago.” Robbie grinned again before making his goodbyes and riding out. Danno offered to give the men that had come with him a ride in the truck back to their hotel and then to the airport but apparently they’d already taken care of it because another truck was pulling up behind the bikes and they all climbed in, making their goodbyes as well.

Wolfie admired the rides they were being loaned and laughed as Grace immediately commandeered the only Fatboy while the rest of the Wolves took up the bikes around her. As they pulled away, Danno and Steve led the way with Wolfie and Hook behind them and Grace just behind Wolfie. The rest of the Pack surrounded Grace as they rode down the street towards the registration point for the Games. From the corner of his eye, Wolfie thought he saw a couple of guys on bikes that seemed to be following them as they rode and he made note of the bikes and the guys themselves to mention; he also used his secret signal to the Pack behind him to close ranks around Grace a little closer by barely adjusting his handles to swerve just a shade outside formation before correcting. Grace’s safety was the responsibility of his Pack as far as he was concerned and nothing was more important.

***

Registration took little more than an hour. It was just a case of signing in, having her picture taken for her official pass ID and making sure her bike had arrived and was set up. She was also allowed up to 3 guests that would be with her in the staging area and waiting around so Wolfie, Freckles and Danno also had to have their pictures taken for official IDs. Once that was taken care of, the plan was for the Wolves to bring Grace back to the hotel while Danno, Steve, and Wolfie went to the Valhalla Clubhouse to officially meet the President. Once the Pack was gone with Grace, Danno approached Wolfie and Steve.

“OK, so we already know we aren’t welcome here and I’ve had an itch all morning so I’m not expecting a warm welcome.”

“There were 4 guys that have been tailing us all morning. None of them were the ones that met us at the airport and they weren’t wearing colors but I’ve seen them a half dozen times from the time we left the hotel until about 15 minutes ago. I made sure the guys were aware to keep a closed ride around Grace but my instinct is they are following us, not Grace.” Wolfie commented and Danno was nodding.

“Good eyes, babe. Let’s just agree we’re gonna keep our cool so we can get in and out without a problem. I don’t want to be here any longer than we have to be and we can head down to Chicago once the Games are done. I’d like to meet the Butcher and Grace’s never seen the city.”

The three of them set off for Valhalla Hall, perfectly aware of being followed.  



	12. Chapter 12

Waking up in the morning, it took a minute for Grace to realize where she was. The last thing she really remembered was the asshole Roadmaster from Minnesota basically … well, being an asshole. There were glimpses of being in a truck and the familiarity of being tucked up against Wolfie’s body and for some reason, thinking he’d called a butcher to order some bikes but that didn’t make sense. Rolling out of bed, she stumbled towards the smell of coffee and bumped into something that smelled like Tech and was handing her a mug of life. Gulping it down, she cracked her eye open so she could find the bathroom and stood under the water for a good 10 minutes before her brain started to function. 

By the time she came out of the shower, Tech had left and Danno was in her room. He explained what the plan for the day was while she got dressed and did her hair and makeup for the pictures she’d have to take. He hurried her along while throwing a bagel at her to eat while they went down to the lobby to wait for their rides. Apparently, it wasn’t ‘a’ butcher that Wolfie had called but someone who was nicknamed The Butcher. She kept her grimace to herself at the visual that brought up as they came downstairs and she hugged her Dad before moving over to Wolfie for her good morning squeeze. Shortly after, the bikes arrived and she hopped onto the Fatboy before her Dad could claim it, grinning at him good-naturedly. He rolled his eyes at her before swinging his leg over a panhead chopper.

At one point, she thought Wolfie swerved and her heart jumped but he righted himself and she became aware of the Pack closing in around her. So they had signals; which meant someone saw something. Just how she wanted her time at the Games to go. Once again, she managed to contain herself and get through the registration process with minimal fuss. When the process was over and done with, she kissed her fathers and Wolfie goodbye and headed back to the hotel where she’d wait for them while they met with the President of the Valhalla. And sure enough, the Wolves kept her in their center while they rode back and surrounded her as they walked through the lobby and back up to their rooms, winding up in her suite all together. 

They spent the morning goofing off in her room, talking about which heats she was participating in, Shiny’s MUCH older boyfriend (she never knew he could blush that bright) and whether or not they made an SPF strong enough for Freckles (he’d once again managed to get a burn on his shoulders even using SPF 100). It was easy to lose herself in the familiarity of her Ohana but she kept looking at her phone, waiting for a message or something to let her know Wolfie and her fathers were safe. The longer her phone was silent, the harder it was to relax and eventually she had to get up and move around. 

“They’re alright Grace. From what we saw at the airport, at least the Roadmaster was an ass so that means they are probably not being given priority to meet with the Prez but there’s no reason to worry anything’s wrong with them. We’re all still Red and White, regardless.” Freckles offered and she was nodding but she wasn’t really listening.

“Yeah but it’s been like 2 hours. Even an asshole wouldn’t keep someone in Danno’s position waiting that long. And someone would have texted, wouldn’t they?”

“Grace, it was going to take them at least 30 minutes to get out to the Hall. Figure if he keeps them waiting 30 minutes and it’s another 30 minutes back, we’re nowhere near time to freak. I promise, they’re just fine.” Shiny said, standing up to give her shoulder a squeeze.

“You’re right. I mean, I’m just paranoid right? It’s not like you guys don’t have some secret squirrel code for protecting me when someone thinks there’s a threat nearby, right?” Grace pinned each of them with a look and they all suddenly became interested in the ceiling fixtures or the floor. A couple of them developed a very dry cough. “Uh huh, that’s what I thought.”

“Dominic noticed somethin’. And yeah, we have a code because you’re important … always have been, regina.” Hook hugged her and they all came over and wrapped themselves around her. “Plus, if anything happened to you, I’m pretty sure your father’d murder all of us and I’m more afraid of your Dad than I am anyone on the planet.”

Grace giggled and relaxed a little. “You know it’s not Danno you need to be afraid of, right? It’s when you don’t know where Dad is that you should be concerned.” Hook grunted.

“Yeah I’m aware of that too. So let’s just not let anything happen to you.”

It was another hour before Grace’s phone chimed and she saw a message from Wolfie saying they were on their way back. She finally let go of the tension between her shoulders and relaxed. By the time they walked into her room, she had relaxed enough that she could tease but one look at Danno’s face told her that might not be a good choice. Instead, she wrapped her arms around him and just hugged him close.

“When these Games are done, we’re out of this city as soon as you’re done collecting your medals, you hear me? We’re gonna ride down to Chicago and fly out from there.” There was no discussion in Danno’s voice, no room for argument. Grace just nodded against his shoulder.

“Do we need to just go now?” Grace asked hesitantly. Her heart was plummeting towards her toes but safety was more important than a medal. “I’m not going to stay involved with motocross so if we hav-”

“No, Grace. We came here for you to compete and to kick ass. There’s no threat, we’re just surrounded by some very closed-minded assholes who seem to think they can intimidate people when they don’t like something about them. However, they haven’t ever come up against Ohana like ours,” her Dad said, wrapping himself around her so she was sandwiched between them.

***

The next 2 days were a whirlwind of competition, interviews and watching other riders. Grace felt like she was going from one jump to another without pause and by the end of the 4th day of competition she was ready for the 2 day break coming up. She’d been consistently placing well in her heats and had won more than half so that meant even more time spent interviewing and doing press conferences. As it turned out, she needed to buy 5 more outfits instead of just the 2 and Wolfie had happily taken her shopping without saying anything. It was on the last day, after the last competition, that it all went to hell.

She was scheduled to sit with a reporter for an webcast that would appear on the X Games website and, at first, all the questions seemed fairly routine. What kind of bike did she favor, how did she get started, how much time did she spend practicing, blah, blah, blah. Grace was smiling and answering her questions with the same boilerplate responses that had become second nature by now when the woman asked another question that stalled Grace’s entire body.

“Many people who’ve ridden against you have said you have a ferocity about you when you’re competing. Do you think that comes from your ties to the historically aggressive DeFuria family?” The woman had a smile that had turned just this side of vicious and Grace didn’t know how to respond.

“I … I don … I don’t know what you’re talking about? I don’t know any DeFurias?” Grace blustered. She, of course, knew the name from when they’d all gone to Jersey but as far as a connection? She had no idea what this woman was talking about.

“Well, you are Grace Williams, although you’ve been adopted by your father’s husband Steven McGarrett, disgraced Navy SEAL, you’re still the daughter of Danny Williams and Rachel DeFuria. Do you think coming from such troubled background drives you to excel over and above what any other young woman in your position would do?”

Grace still couldn’t process what the woman was saying. Her mother had been Rachel Lawrence, not DeFuria … but then, if her mother HAD been a DeFuria, it would explain why their name had come up when they were in Jersey … but then, if Danno had known that, wouldn’t he have told her? Grace was so stunned and trying to process what the woman had said that she didn’t even realize it when Freckles was telling the woman the interview was over and led her out of the tent. He held her against his body, arms around her shoulders until he could deliver her to Wolfie and Danno. She looked over at her Danno, feeling every tiny pinprick of betrayal and hoping it was all wrong.

“Did you know, Danno? Did you lie to me?” 

“Know what Monkey? I’d never lie to you, I always promised you that.”

Her heart fluttered, hoping that maybe the reporter was wrong … hoping maybe she’d mistaken her mom for someone else. “Was my Mom a DeFuria?”

Danno’s face fell … and Grace’s heart went with it. 

“You knew. And you didn’t lie to me but you didn’t bother telling me the truth either. So now I’m not just the daughter of a biker, but apparently I’m a fucking Mobster’s granddaughter?” Grace’s voice was full of all her hurt and venom she could muster. In that moment, looking at Danno and seeing him sigh with his shoulders slumped, she crumbled. She was so angry, she couldn’t even cry and her fists balled up at her sides. Her forehead started to throb and she just stared straight ahead. 

“Take me home, Dominic. I want to go home,” Grace whispered.

“We can go back to the hotel. C’mon, mia regina.”

“NO! I want to go HOME.” Grace could feel her heart slamming in her chest and her breath was coming hard and fast, like she’d just run a marathon.

“Grace, I can’t get you to Hawaii right this second. What I can do is get you to the hotel. You can relax, get your bearings and decide what you want to do.”

“Danno, I don’t want to see you the rest of today. I really can’t stand your face right this second.” Grace turned on her heel and walked away, assuming Wolfie and Freckles would follow.

***

“How could he know and not tell me, Dominic? How could he expect I wouldn’t find out?” Grace was in her hotel room, curled up against Wolfie on the couch with her legs underneath her body. She hadn’t managed to say a word for the first 15 minutes they were in the room because she was so disappointed … angry … sad. Wolfie had sat with her, arms around her shoulders and just holding her against his body for as long as she needed him to. 

He didn’t know how to respond because he was trying to work up the courage to tell her about his own connection to the DeFuria family. This was going to torpedo his relationship with her. He knew who she was, knew what the DeFuria relationship was and had purposefully kept it from her; the reaction she had to Danno lying about it was indicative that he’d be lucky if she didn’t try to lay him out. 

“You’re quiet, Mio Lupo.” Grace’s voice was full of hurt … and suspicion.

“Maybe he only recently found out. Maybe he thought you’d be better off not knowing.”

“I don’t deserve to know where I come from?” Now her voice was bordering on angry.

“You come from Newark. You’re Grace Williams-McGarrett. You’re the best motocross driver on the scene and you’re the woman I love. That’s all that matters to me.”

Grace softened and almost managed to smile. God this was going to fucking kill him to tell her.

“But there is something you should know about me,” Wolfie started and went on to explain his relationship with the DeFuria family. He talked about what his father had done for them, how they’d approached him after his mother had died. He couldn’t bring himself to look her in the eye and he could feel her body tensing up beside him the more he spoke. 

“Did you know too, Dominic?” her half whispered voice broke his heart and he braced himself for her hatred.

“Not at first. But yeah, when Danno and SEAL came back from Jersey … they told the rest of the club so we would know to be aware. And that’s who the guy that was watching you at Mamo’s was related to. But we took care of the issue and they’ve agreed to never bother you again.” He hated the tremor in his voice. He was a badass … he didn’t have to explain himself to her. She was his ol’ lady and technically the way the Club dynamic worked, he didn’t HAVE to explain this to her. But this was Grace and she was so much more than just his woman. Or, she had been.

Grace was up and out of his reach, glaring down at him. He could see the anger in her eyes, the heartbreak and the disappointment. “You knew.” Her voice was cold and detached.

“I knew. Danno and Steve didn’t want you to worry so they told us not to tell you. And Grace … mia regina … you know how the Club works. If Danno says no, it’s no. There’s nothin’ I can do about that.”

“I thought I meant more to you than that, Dominic. I thought we had something special.”

“Grace, we do. It’s killing me to tell you I knew but-”

“-Club first. Yeah I know.”

Grace turned away from him and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Wolfie was up in a flash, racing across the room to follow her and she was nowhere to be seen in either direction of the hallway. 

“FUCK!” he yelled in the hallway and 2 doors popped open. Tech, Shiny and Shakespeare poked their heads out.

“Grace took off. She knows about the DeFuria’s and that we kept it from her.”

All three men disappeared back into their rooms long enough to grab their keys and boots. A moment later, all 4 men were out and running towards the garage while Wolfie texted Danno, SEAL and the rest of the Wolves. In the garage, Grace’s bike was already gone.

“Fuck!” was simultaneous from all 4 men.


	13. Chapter 13

Grace knew better than to take off on her own. She really knew better than to take off on her own in a city she didn’t know. But right now, she felt like she was alone. Her entire Ohana had lied to her. LIED! They had all found out something about her mother … probably what brought them to Jersey in the first place … so she was responsible for everything that had happened. How much blood was on her hands because of who she was? Her mother had been related to the Jersey mob and maybe Danno hadn’t known at first but once he did know, he’d kept it from her. He’d kept her from knowing and then Dominic … her Wolf … he’d kept it from her. Rationally she knew he had no choice … that was Club life. 

Club First, everything else second.

Danno giving him an order was irrefutable, no matter what so in a way she could almost understand and forgive him. But right now, she didn’t have it in her heart because it was too full of anger and betrayal. It didn’t occur to her to wonder what the reporter would have gained from ambushing her, or how they even figured it out. Grace had seen her birth certificate a thousand times and her mother was listed as ‘Rachel Lawrence’. Why would Danno lie? Why would he not tell her so she could at least understand what had happened? No. Instead she gets treated like the child again … gets treated like she’s still 8 years old and oblivious to what an Enforcer does, that her Dad was kicked out of the SEALS for protecting the memory of men who were killed … that she can’t be trusted to know anything.

She was riding her bike blindly through the city. She had no idea where she even was but it didn’t matter … she needed to ride and get away from everything and everyone. She needed to just ride because that was her freedom. She could feel her phone vibrating in her pocket and she knew it was probably Wolfie or Dad or Danno but she wasn’t going to answer it. Right now she was too angry and flying on her bike felt too right. She just needed to get over her anger … get over the pain of this kind of betrayal. It wasn’t even finding out she was somehow related to some mobster somewhere; it was that no one bothered to give her a choice in whether or not she wanted to know. They just glossed over it like it was nothing. Like she was just some dumb biker’s ol’ lady who wasn’t told anything in case your man got pinched, you couldn’t tell the cops anything you didn’t know.

She pulled over when she saw a park and sat on a bench, her helmet beside her. She stared at the ground between her feet and really thought about her life. Freckles had been right; she had to know what she wanted and this was the perfect example. If she stayed with Wolfie, or just the ‘Auana in general, this was going to be her life. There would be things Wolfie would do that he could never tell her about. There might come a time that Wolfie would get arrested and do prison time. She could play pretend in her head all she wanted that they would be different but the hard reality was that she was in love with a criminal. That she was the daughter of two criminals. That she was always going to be judged by that standard. Maybe that was why her mother had changed her name. Maybe she’d done it to get away from the Mob. 

Grace could disappear in a few months. She’d be just about 17 and could legally leave, change her name and create a new identity for herself on the mainland. She could get out from under the MC lifestyle, get a job and go to school part time. Start clean and never have to worry about being Danno Williams’ kid or Dominic Robustelli’s ol’ lady. It wasn’t a bad idea; of course it wasn’t a great idea either. She’d have to avoid almost everywhere she was comfortable. Hawaii was out, so was Newark. Most of New York as well. She’d have to go South and hope no one knew her there. She couldn’t even go to California … Dad had too many friends there that would know her face. She was so lost in thought, it took her a breath longer than normal to sense someone else coming within her personal space. 

She looked up and there were 5 men standing behind one, who was crouching down in front of her. She didn’t recognize any of them but she saw the Valhalla patch on his cut.

“You lost, girlie?” His voice was saccharine sweet, which set her on edge.

“Not sure of where I am but I already texted my Dad so he’s heading this way.”

“Your Dad, huh? Would that be the little blonde faggot or his cocksucking bitch?” His voice was derisive and he spat at her feet.

“Well, if you’re gonna get technical, my Dad’s the Navy SEAL. My father’s the most well known badass Enforcer on the East Coast and my man’s one of the best Enforcer’s he’s ever trained.” She met his eyes, lifting her chin. There was no way she was going to take out 6 men but thankfully her hand had been in her pocket already and she was furiously texting by memory to the entire Pack. She’d noticed the name of the park she was sitting at … she only hoped they would get there before something happened.

“You’re that riding bitch. Playing at the X Games, thinkin you’re some kind of biker yourself? Ridin’ around on a big Harley like you’re worth somethin? Maybe I should take you for a ride on my bike. Show you what happens to a bitch left alone in Valhalla country.”

“I ride my bike just fine. No reason to give up a Fatboy for a Softtail.” Grace smirked, her sarcasm opening her mouth before her brain could stop it. It took her a second to register why she wasn’t looking at him anymore and then the pain exploded in her face. He’d backhanded her and swung her head around so her whole body went down on the bench. 

“Mouth like that on a girl like you? I can only imagine what it could do for me once you learn your fuckin place.”

“My place? My place is wherever I decide it is, you asshole.” Grace had remembered that she’d slid her Blackhawk into her pocket and when she righted herself, she was holding the blade out. “Touch me again and I’ll leave you with a permanent reminder of me.”

“Gentlemen … it would appear the bitch brought a little toy with her. Should we show her our toys, since she wants to play Show & Tell?”

All 5 of them pulled out their guns, aimed directly at her. She remembered her lessons from her Dad; in the presence of mortal danger, do not show fear. Swallow it and compartmentalize so you can get yourself out of the situation.

“You think that little stick of yours is going to do much once we make a few new holes in that pretty skin of yours? I’m thinkin it’d be pretty hard for you to ride your little motorbike with a blown out knee? Or how about adding a new hole to your shoulder?”

“Doesn’t matter.” Grace was calculating how close he was to her and whether she could get her blade into the soft palate of his neck before she was shot. 

“And why’s that, little bitch?” His voice was mocking and she really hated the sound of it. She took a deep breath, planned her fall and swung out with her arm. She felt the blade go up into his throat and she purposefully pulled his body forward, using him as cover against the spray of bullets that followed. She felt a bite of something on her elbow and something else bite her calf and she knew they were bullets. She was sure once the adrenaline wore off, they were going to hurt but for now, she had to find where the guy on top of her hid his gun so she could protect herself. She could feel the sticky warmth on her face and that was going to gross her out later. But the gunfire had stopped. Someone was yanking the body off of her and she looked up, ready to take whoever it was down.

***

Wolfie had texted everyone and they were spread out across the city but no one knew where Grace was. He was going back and forth between being pissed off at her for being so reckless and being pissed off at himself for not telling her sooner about at least his own involvement with the DeFurias. He couldn’t imagine his life without her in it and he was going to do whatever he had to do in order to salvage his relationship. She was his Queen. He’d leave the Club for her. He’d do whatever she asked him to do to make this up to her.

His phone buzzed with her ring and he pulled over to read it. 

(GWM: 911 minnnehhaha pk 6 valhala)

Wolfie saw red. He barely registered that the text had been sent to the entire Wolfpack, he was already searching for anything that matched the name, finally coming up with Minnehaha Park and looking at the directions.

He was 10 minutes away and he had no idea where the rest of the pack was but he was going to find Grace before something happened to her. His phone buzzed a few more times but he ignored it, gunning his engine towards the far side of Minneapolis. His Grace against six Valhalla did not make for good odds, despite how much of a badass she was. These were grown men and criminals who’d already insinuated that they had no respect for the ‘Auana or the Wolves and if any of them were caught out alone, it wouldn’t end pretty. Wolfie blew every stop sign, every traffic light. His only focus was to get to Grace before anything else happened. To get to her before she was a victim … before they could … no, he couldn’t think about what they would do to her or he’d probably wipe out his bike. 

The sound of a gun caught his attention and he turned his bike in that direction. He saw a collection of bikes all parked around Grace’s bike. But where was Grace? He couldn’t see her. He was off his bike and heading towards the group when he registered the sounds of more engines. He had no idea if they were friendly or not but this was his Queen … his Grace. He yanked the first Valhalla patch around and knocked him to the ground with one swing. Another turned, gun in hand but Wolfie’s rage was making him sharper. He grabbed the gun, twisting the guy’s arm up and watched as the bullet went backwards into another patch. The firing stopped and he recognized Freckles out of the corner of his eye. His Wolves had arrived and they had put the Valhalla down. 

He scanned the area and noticed another Valhalla leaning forward over a bench. And Grace’s helmet was on the bench. Grace! He ran, yanking at the Valhalla patch before realizing he was dead weight. Crouched underneath him, holding the handle of her blade, was his Grace. She blinked, ready to lunge before she seemed to recognize him. She was covered in blood and he immediately started to scan her body.

“I think … I think my leg and my elbow. That’s where I felt the bite. That’s where it’s gonna hurt a whole lot later. I did … didn’t mea … I didn’t mean to lea … lea …” her voice gave out as she started to shake and Wolfie knew she was going into shock. They had to get her to a doctor right now, gunshots be damned. 

“Where’s the nearest hospital. Someone find me a goddamned hospital!” Wolfie demanded.

“We already called 9-1-1. They’ll be here any second.” Freckles assured him and moments later, Wolfie heard the sirens.

“Has anyone called Danno?” Wolfie asked and Freckles nodded. 

“Called them right after 9-1-1. As soon as we know a hospital, we’re going to meet them there.”

After that, it was a haze of police and EMTs and questions and not being allowed in the ambulance because she’s a minor and he’s not family. He explained to the police that he’d gotten the text from Grace, saying she was in danger and when he’d arrived, he’d disarmed one and knocked the other out. It seemed like they’d questioned him forever before he was allowed to leave and get to the hospital. 

He met Danno and Steve in the lobby and Danno immediately pulled him into a hug that could crack his ribs. “You saved my girl. You found her and you saved her. I will never forget that.” 

After Danno, Steve did the same. Embracing him tightly and thanking him.

“Where is she?” Wolfie asked and Danno shook his head.

“They took her in for surgery. The bullet in her thigh shredded an artery and her elbow’s shattered.”

It was a long afternoon of waiting after that. The Wolves came and they all sat, taking turns going out for food to make sure Danno, Steve, and Wolfie were taken care of and kept their energy up. Every time the doors opened, they all looked up expectantly but none of the doctors called out for them. They were going into hour 7 when finally a doctor came out and asked for the family of Grace McGarrett. They all stood up, Danno and Steve leading the way. Wolfie’s stomach was in knots and he felt like he was going to puke. 

“Grace is out of surgery and we were able to repair the artery and remove both bullets so she’s stable. Unfortunately, both bullets did extensive damage to both her thigh and her arm and she’s going to require an extensive amount of physical therapy to build up her ability to use either fully. For now, I’d say she will need to be off her leg entirely for at least a few weeks and then start with physical therapy maybe in 8 to 12 weeks. For her arm, she could probably start PT in about 6 weeks.”

Wolfie was reeling. His Grace … how much pain she must have been in … how much pain he caused her by not telling her the truth. He glanced at Danno and saw the same guilt in his eyes and he knew they were both blaming themselves. No matter how you cut it, Grace had been shot and placed directly in harms way because of their actions.

He always knew he wasn’t good enough for her … this just went to prove it.


	14. Chapter 14

Wolfie sat by her bed for the next 36 hours, waiting for her to wake up; willing her to wake up. She was too still, too pale and the machines surrounding her were too loud. Danno and Steve were right beside him, all of them waiting for her to wake up. The Wolves continued to take shifts in getting food, changes of clothes and guarding the hospital. There weren’t enough of them to do everything but they were managing. There would be retribution for this, they knew it; Valhalla wasn’t just un-hospitable, they were downright hostile. 

Wolfie spent every minute trying to think of how they got here; what could he have done differently. Telling her, obviously but Danno had said no. And Danno was his VP. Despite his being President of his own branch, he still owed his loyalty to ‘Auana. It was making his head spin and his stomach was constantly churning. He held Grace’s hand, kissing her knuckles and begging her to wake up. Trying to get her to move, to do anything other than just sleep. The doctors assured them it was perfectly normal and she was probably in and out but just to wait it out while her body healed. 

The police came by several times to take his statement and waiting to see if Grace was awake to provide a statement of her own. The cop Wolfie spoke with said the case was open and shut; Grace was threatened by 6 men in a strange city and had been protecting herself. No charges were going to be filed and she wasn’t going to be arrested. So they were just waiting for Grace.

Danno came over and sat beside Wolfie while he was holding Grace’s hand.

“How you holdin’ up, babe?”

“I’m good. I’m fine. Just had food a little while ago, or at least they told me it was food.” Dominic snorted a dry laugh.

“This right here? This is what I never wanted for my Monkey. To have my life impact hers and then, the first chance that comes along where I can protect her by letting her know the truth about something, I go and I fuck it up. I’ll never forgive myself, Dominic. I will never forgive myself for giving you guys that gag order. I thought I was doin the right thing and once we took care of Arthur and they said they were going to leave her alone, I thought we were in the clear. She’d never need to know.”

“Danno, we did what we thought was right. We did what we thought was safe for her. You have always protected her, I do my best to just keep up with her. She hates me, Danno. She ran away from me after I told her I knew and this is what happened. I have no right to be around … I’m no good for her. She deserves the white picket fence with some guy that will be home every night and show her how much she deserves to be loved. Some guy that can take her out to dinner without having to worry about bein’ followed or whether he’ll be recognized by the wrong guy. It’s like you said when me n’ Grace first got together. This ain’t the life she deserves and I ain’t the guy she deserves. You’re her Dad and you managed to keep her safe and keep her outta harms way and you always will. I don’t think I’d keep her outta it, I think I’d wind up puttin her right in the middle of it.” Wolfie rambled, voicing off everything that was in his head. 

“You really are a special kind of idiot, aren’t you? Do you think, for one solitary second, that if I thought you were ever going to endanger my daughter that I’d have let you within 100 yards of her? Let me give you a clue here, Dominic. I’m always gonna see that 9 year old with pigtails whenever I look at her, that’s just what fathers do. I’m always gonna do whatever it takes to keep her safe, make her happy and try not to fuck her life up too badly. So far, I think I’ve done a decent job with a few fuck-ups here and there. But you do not get to take this blame on your shoulders, my friend. I see you with her … probably more than you realize. Steven and I talk about you with her. There have been meetings, my friend … meetings! about you and Grace. There were meetings with the entire ‘Auana officers. Also, you seem to forget how stubborn that woman right there can be. When she wants something, nothing is going to stand in her way, including you. Yes, we fucked up. We fucked up in a very important way and it could have cost Grace her life. I will never not carry that on my heart for the rest of my life. I will never not see what my baby looked like with blood all over her and probably won’t ever forget hearing her tell me she didn’t want to see me. But I also will never forget how she smiles when you text her, or the way she dances when she’s workin on a bike with you. My daughter loves you. She’s loved you a while now and we both know you’ve loved her probably just as long. So we’re gonna wait here for her to wake up and we’re going to see what she has to say and we will respect what she has to say. But we are not going to sit here and blame ourselves anymore than we already have.”

Wolfie sat and listened, hearing Danno confessing his fears but also trying to ease his guilt. This was the future President of the ‘Auana basically giving him his blessing that if Grace wanted to stay with him, he was trusting Wolfie to always protect her. He was both terrified and honored and he didn’t know how to say it. “I’ve loved Grace from the night Red sent me over to watch her. I’ll belong to her for the rest of my life, whether she wants me or not. She’s my Queen and whatever I have to do to be worthy of her is never gonna be enough.”

Danno smiled and slapped his hand on Wolfie’s knee. “She’s the one who decides who is worthy and who isn’t. All we can do is hope to be enough. I’m gonna go find Steve and stretch my back. These chairs are fuckin killin my back.”

Danno left the room and Wolfie turned his head to look at Grace, shock registering through his entire body when he found her eyes open and tears sliding down her cheeks.

She motioned at Wolfie for the cup with the straw and he brought it to her lips so she could take a sip. She swallowed and motioned him closer; close enough that she could whisper in his ear.

“No boundaries, Dominic.”

He turned his head to look at her, not understanding the reference but she just smiled and closed her eyes, falling back to sleep.

***

He fell asleep at some point. His head was resting against Grace’s good shoulder and his body was twisted in some weird contortion that he was pretty sure was going to hurt later. He could feel Grace’s hand on the back of his neck and for a brief moment, he allowed himself to think they were at home instead of in a hospital in Minneapolis.

This was ruined by a sound that didn’t belong at home. But it didn’t belong in Minneapolis either … Al Giabetta. “Aw lookit how cute they is. Almost a shame to wake up his little princess eyes, innit?”

“Eh, I figure if we don’t wake him up, he’s gonna hate life when his spine realizes it ain’t supposed to bend quite like dat.” Wolfie didn’t recognize the voice so he held still.

“You’re already awake, Wolf. Move before your spine snaps on general principle,” that was Freckles, laughing quietly. 

He opened his eyes and attempted to uncurl his body but Grace’s grip on his neck tightened slightly and he had to reach up and take her hand into his before he could move. He pretended he didn’t hear Al chuckle. Once he was upright, every bone in his body started screaming in protest and he had to stand up and stretch, which did nothing but make him more aware of how much his bones and muscles hurt.

“Comfy, eh?” Al asked, a grin on his face.

“It’s good to see you Al, but … what are you doin here?” Wolfie was confused. He hadn’t called him, he didn’t think … 

“I heard on the news about a rising star in the motocross world being attacked by 6 men in a park and that she was in stable condition. I then remembered you needing only 9 bikes, which meant there are only 8 of you here with said rising star. That tells me, you’re thin on protection and that makes for an unsafe motocross star so I thought I’d drop by with a few friends and see if I could lend a hand.”

Wolfie was floored. Al Giabetta, The Chicago Butcher, had come to Minneapolis unbidden to lend a hand? He blinked for a second, a little stunned and then extended his hand.

“You’re a fuckin Godsend, Al. I’ll never be able to thank you.”

Al snorted and shook Wolfie’s hand. “Like you’d have to? Kid … we ain’t ever gonna be squ … hey, lookit that. Your girl’s big browns are open,” Al joked, winking at Grace in the bed.

Wolfie turned his head to find Grace looking up at Al curiously and cautiously all at the same time. 

“Grace Williams-McGarret, this is Al Giabetta. Al, this is my wom … this is Grace,” Wolfie stumbled over his words. He didn’t want to presume she’d still want to be with him after what happened. He heard her snort and brought her the cup and straw.

“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Giabetta. Thank you for letting us borrow the bikes … that Fatboy is awesome, rides like it’s on rails but someone might want to check the idle mix screw or the carb itself. It coughs when you’re idling.”

Al’s laughter boomed across the entire floor of the hospital. “Kid, you got a good woman right there. You do right by her and you’ll be set for life. It was my pleasure to loan the bikes and I’ll be sure to have someone check the mix. You keep this Wolf in line and I’m gonna go make sure we’ve got everything in place. You don’t worry about a thing, Grace.”

“I have my Wolf … I never do,” Grace smiled quietly and put her hand into Wolfie’s. 

***

Grace was laying in bed, trying hard to think of how she could apologize. It had started off like such an easy day; win a race, do an interview, go have dinner with her Ohana. Now, instead of racing, she’s in a hospital bed for 2 bullet wounds (one of which has essentially ended her career, the other almost killing her), the police have questioned her (and cleared her) and the Valhalla club is probably going to take action against them. All because she acted like a child. Grace was aware that she’d behaved terribly … she’d even been aware of it as she was doing it. But all that anger had bubbled up and she’d acted out. That one moment and now she was a 16 year old girl with no career in front of her and a dead man on her conscience. 

The thoughts spun around and around in her head and every time she saw her Danno or Dad (or Wolfie or Freckles … ok anyone) she could see their wariness. They were here because she’d fucked up in an epic way. And there was no apologizing for that, not in this lifestyle. Once again, she considered leaving … taking off and making a new name for herself somewhere but dismissed the idea. Last time she’d thought about that, she’d wound up with 2 bullet holes in her body. She could take a hint from the Universe. And realistically, she couldn’t imagine never seeing Danno again, or her Dad. She couldn’t imagine not being surrounded by her Ohana … if she was ever allowed to be surrounded by them again after they went home. Members had been de-patched for starting wars with other clubs and Grace had, essentially, done the same. The ‘Auana couldn’t de-patch her … but they could ostracize her; ban her from the Clubhouse and Club events, refuse to engage with her in public. She’d be a nobody.

She was trying not to cry when Danno, Steve, and Wolfie came into her room and shut the door. They were all wearing somber expressions as they sat around her bed and Grace was holding her breath, waiting for someone to talk.

“Grace, I’m not going to bother asking what you were thinking because I know you weren’t. You were reacting and I respect that. However, how you reacted and the consequences of that reaction are something to discuss. But we are going to do so after we are out of Minneapolis and back somewhere safe. For now, we’re here to tell you that under absolutely zero circumstances are you to be outside the reach of one of the three of us. I don’t have to tell you this could be very bad for a lot of people.” It was her Dad talking. Danno was looking at her but not saying anything. His face, however, spoke volumes. The disappointment in his eyes was the worst punishment she could imagine right that moment. 

“Al arranged a way for all of us to bail out tonight. You’re gonna be in a truck with your Dad while Danno and I run point and the docs are gonna dope you up pretty good for the ride because it’s not the kind of smooth ride you’re gonna want. Once we get to Chicago, Al has a place we can hole up and a doctor that can watch over you until you’re healed enough to go back to Hawaii.”

Grace couldn’t hear past the buzzing in her ears. They were talking about Chicago and trucks and Al … but the disappointment in Danno’s eyes and the fact that he couldn’t even be in the truck with her … it was too much. Yes it was childish and yes it was inappropriate but she just started sobbing. Her heart was breaking because she’d broken her Danno’s trust. The one thing she’d always worked towards never losing … the one thing she held as the most important thing in her life. And she’d screwed it up royally with one temper tantrum. She sunk down and buried her face in her hands, furiously trying to wipe the tears away and own up to her mistake like an adult. But she couldn’t stop crying. Wolfie didn’t want to ride with her and Danno couldn’t look at her without being disappointed. The rest of her Ohana was in mortal danger because of her actions. 

She felt a warm hand on her back and she recognized Danno’s touch. She leaned into him, grateful for the solid warmth of his body.

“Monkey, I ain’t gonna lie and say I ain’t disappointed, because I am. But I own a lot of that too. I shoulda told you about your Mom when I found out when we were in Jersey but I gambled on it never being an issue. And you’ve always been mature for your age so I think we were all surprised when you showed off a little rebellion. This doesn’t excuse what you did, Grace and it doesn’t change the consequences or the outcome. But I need you to hear me, Grace. Can you look at me?” Danno’s voice was low and he was rubbing circles on her back. She raised her eyes to his and she could still see the disappointment but there was a familiar warmth to his eyes as well.

“We all still love you, Grace. Never forget that. We love you and we are going to protect you and once we’re all home, we can discuss how to handle this moving forward. But for now, you stick close to Wolf or Steve or me and we’ll get you healed up enough to travel. Okay?” Danno’s eyes were sincere and Grace sniffled, leaning her head into his chest.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. It’s just, when that reporter talked about Mom being related to the Mob and then she insulted Daddy by calling him a disgraced SEAL … Danno, I just got so angry. I don’t even remember leaving the tent … I don’t remember feeling anything other than angry. You and Dad have always been honest with me and you’ve always told me that if there’s something I don’t need to know, you aren’t telling me for a reason. I should have remembered that instead of swearing at you and acting out. And Wolfie … Dominic … this was so totally never about you. I was hurt and angry and you were there, trying to make me feel better and instead, I just acted stupid and then I put everyone in danger. I’m so sorry for how I acted and I get that you want to keep your distance … but just remember what I said to you the other day, ok?”

She bit her lip. “No boundaries” was her family’s way of saying “I love you”. When she’d uttered those words to him, she’d meant them. She’d been slowly coming in and out of consciousness when she heard Danno and Wolfie talking and she’d gotten enough of it to know Wolfie thought he wasn’t good enough or that she wouldn’t think he was good enough. Her brain had been too doped up on whatever they were giving her to keep her out of pain that she couldn’t remember anything other than ‘no boundaries’. 

“I remember, mia regina. I accept your apology and we’ll talk more when we’re home.” Wolfie leaned over the bed and kissed her forehead.

“Get some rest Grace. We have a long night ahead of us.”

Danno and Dad both leaned over and kissed her, telling her they loved her. She curled pulled the blanket back up and the last thing she heard as the door closed was Wolie asking if either of them knew what ‘no boundaries’ meant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The TIMESTAMP for the chapter is [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9232697/) It's the conversation that occurs between Dominic, Steve and Danno.
> 
> The sexy TIMESTAMP for the chapter is [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9248666/) It's Steve and Danno ... being VERY dirty smutty porny


	15. Chapter 15

In a perfect world, the doctor in charge of Grace’s care would have signed her release papers, doped her up enough that she’d have to be carried to the truck and their entourage would be out of Minneapolis by 1am. In a perfect world, they’d arrive in Chicago maybe 10 hours later, accounting for having to stop for fuel and piss breaks. In a perfect world, unicorns shit glitter on cotton candy pillows. Wolfie was fast realizing, as he pushed his ride faster across the city, he did not live in a perfect world and there was definitely no glittering unicorn shit in his future. 

Oh the first part had gone off without a hitch. Doc doped Grace to the gills and she was in the back of a truck that looked like it belonged in an Arnold Schwarzenegger action film (Wolfie was not going to ask how SEAL had procured said vehicle). They’d gotten about a mile away from the hospital before the non-unicorn-glitterless shit had hit the fan. From out of nowhere, suddenly there were cars blockading their way out of town and slowly but surely, they were being herded towards the Valhalla Clubhouse. Which was exactly the opposite of where Wolfie wanted to be heading, especially with Grace being completely out of it and unable to defend herself. They’d spread out once it became obvious they were being corralled and the plan was to find an escape route from Minneapolis with minimal engagement. No one wanted to be the one to start spraying bodies, especially within their own Red and White. The truck SEAL and Grace were in was on a parallel street to the one Wolfie was riding down and he caught a glimpse of them every once in a while between the buildings. He was coming up on an intersection and it looked like he was going to beat the blockade so he pushed a little faster, managing to beat the cars coming from the side street and cut across the opposite side to catch up with the truck.

When he cleared the street he saw the truck hadn’t managed to beat their blockade and now there were bikes behind the truck, presumably to prevent them from backing up. For a moment Wolfie started to plan how he could assist when SEAL just … well, assisted himself. Wolfie heard the engine gun down to a low purr and the wheels cut sharply to the side and suddenly, the truck was up on the sidewalk and going around the blockage. For good measure, the truck clipped the nose of one of the low profile cars they were using to block the streets, which caused the car to become a blockade of it’s own. As the truck came back onto the road, Wolfie caught a glimpse of SEAL behind the wheel and he looked more intense than Wolfie had ever seen him. 

They were almost out of the city and most of the 15 people had re-grouped when there was a solid wall of Valhalla riders in front of them. Center of the group was the President of the Club, arms crossed over his chest. Short of running the entire Club over, they had to stop. Danno pulled up beside Wolfie and Al rode up on the other side. Steve stayed in the truck with Grace and Wolfie found himself hoping the truck was bullet proof.

“Where you headin this time of night? Tryin to sneak outta my city like some bottom little bitch?” His eyes were drilling right into Danno’s and Wolfie could feel the eyeroll Danno was probably giving the guy.

“We’re leaving your fine metropolis of pedophiles and assholes. Hopefully to never have to even fly back over your shit-stank of a city again in my life. Now you gonna move aside so we can get on with it or are you really gonna make a thing outta this?” Danno’s voice was steady and casual but Wolfie could feel the tension rolling off Danno’s shoulders like a cold wall.

“Pedoph … you fuckin faggot cocksucker, you should know all about pedophiles. Probably had a few on that island of yours, eh? Do they taste like pineapple when you eat them out?” The guy’s voice was full of hate and mocking derision. 

“Your guys came after my daughter after deliberately provoking her with the news about her mother. We didn’t come here to bring any shit to your city. We technically didn’t even have to fuckin tell you we were comin but I wanted to do the right thing. If I’m in someone else’s house, I let them know I’m crashin the couch so to speak. Now see, Dominic, if someone from Minneapolis were to come to Oahu, how do we greet our Brothers in the Red and White?”

Wolfie’s first response of ‘forty virgins’ probably wasn’t what Danno was trying to convey so he swallowed the smartass remark. “Standard reception is the VP of ‘Auana, which is you, SuperSEAL, myself as President of the Jersey Wolves, Dave as my VP and at least 5 prospects and 5 soldiers to escort our guests to the President’s house for a good meal cooked by his woman and then an escort to wherever they are staying.”

“Do we judge our guests and make them feel unwelcomed?” Danno inquired.

“Never heard anyone complain so I’m guessing not.” Wolfie replied.

“We don’t like your kind in our city. Then that little cunt slic-” 

“The fuck you just call my woman?” Wolfie was seeing red and his hand was itchy for a piece.

“-sliced open one of my guys. Would you prefer I call her a gash instead? Either way, she’s a bitch that should be riding a man, not a bike. She sliced my guy open without any provocation.”

Wolfie was counting to a thousand in Italian in his head to stop himself from dropping this guy right now. His Grace should never be referred to like that … she was his Queen and deserved better than to have her name on this guy’s lips.

“According to a couple eye witnesses in the area, there was plenty of provocation. He was caging her in on a bench where she had nowhere else to go and she was waiting for me to come get her.” Danno replied, smooth and slick. “The minute he backhanded her, that was provocation. I taught my daughter to protect herself from assholes and her father taught her the softest spots on the human body for a blade. So here’s what we’re gonna do. You, my friend, are going to back the fuck off and we’ll be out of this cum dumpster of a city. She’s 16 years old and if I hear you refer to her in any way again, I will cut that filthy tongue right out of your head in front of every single one of these boys of yours. You know who I am … you know what I’m capable of … chances are high you don’t have a clue about my husband and what he’s capable of.”

Danno’s smile was terrifying to look at and for a minute, Wolfie wasn’t sure what he was smiling at … until the President of the Valhalla was suddenly being pushed forward away from his bike and a brilliant white smile shone from behind him. Somehow Steve had managed to get out of the truck and get through the throng of members to slip behind the President. And now he was sliding a blade against the same spot Grace had pushed her blade. Wolfie had a moment to wonder who was watching Grace but trusted Steve would have had someone there and he needed his focus here. 

“Aw babe, that took you at least 5 seconds longer than last time. Are you losin your touch?” Danno laughed as he addressed Steve.

“I would have had him on his knees last year when you started talking but I was waiting for you to finish,” he teased back. 

“Are you accusing me of being a blowhard, Steven?”

“I’m not accusing you of anything but once we’re done here, I promise to blow you just how you like Daniel.”

“Fuckin fa-” The President was cutoff by Steve’s blade pushing up a little deeper into his neck and Wolfie could smell the copper of blood.

“You will not address my husband or myself like that again, Hans. If I hear you say anything else derogatory towards my Ohana, I’m going to have to show you how I taught my daughter about this little spot. Then I’m going to let her Wolf have you. I’m betting you don’t know about him yet either … if I were you, I’d want to avoid an in person introduction to the man who’s woman you just called such a filthy word. Now, how attached are you to your carotid artery?” Steve’s voice was deadly cold and Hans shut his mouth audibly.

“Now, as I was saying, we’re leaving your city. We can do this the nice, easy way with you telling your boys to back off or we can do this the dirty way, that ends with Minneapolis scrambling for a President. All of this because you couldn’t control your boys and let them approach a 16 year old girl. Me? I can go either way but I’d rather not get blood in my hair. Steven complains when I take more than a 3 minute ninja shower.”

Wolfie was still itching and he was pretty sure Steve and Danno could tell by the way their eyes flickered over to him every once in a while during their conversation. This asshole had the balls to call his woman a cunt and insinuated she should be a whore … Wolfie wanted to castrate him just for thinking of Grace. 

“Let them go, boys. We can do this another time,” Hans called out to the Valhalla and Wolfie was relieved because it made Grace safer but disappointed. This asshole needed to be taught a lesson. 

The wall of riders parted enough for the truck and the rest of the riders to go through so all that remained behind were Danno, Steve, and Wolfie. Danno leaned over towards Wolfie and whispered under his breath.

“When you hit, make sure you get an extra slice in for me, eh?” Danno clapped his arm as he slid a blade into Wolfie’s hand.

By this time, Hans was on his knees and Wolfie had to crouch down to be eye level with him. He could see there was hatred in the man’s eyes but also a little bit of fear … a man like Hans, once he made President, probably very rarely encountered violence against himself. He sent soldiers out to do the work and report back but this time, he was here and Wolfie wanted him to remember it.

“Grace is my Lady. You understand what that means … you allowed someone in your club to lay hands on a First Lady so as far as I’m concerned, this whole shitstorm starts and stops with you. There won’t be any follow up to this, you understand me? There won’t be any retribution and there won’t be a continuation of this little spat. Because you don’t want me coming back here Hans. You don’t want me comin back and finding Bettie, right? Guys like you believe in an eye for an eye, right? So you touch my Lady, I touch yours.” Wolfie could see the rage in Hans’ eyes as he mentioned his ol’ lady. “Do not, for one single moment, believe that you are ever going to be safe if something more comes of this. See, I’m gonna let you in on a little clue … even out here, I’m sure you guys know who Snub Robustelli was. Best cleaner in the Mob for goin on 50 years … 

“That was my old man. Taught me everything he ever knew about cleaning. Now I’m not tellin you that so you know no-one would ever find any evidence … I’m tellin you that so you know that I learned HOW all those cleanups happened to come about. I know more ways to gut you nice and slow than you’ll ever think of,” Wolfie threatened him in a low voice as the tip of the blade in his hand pressed against Hans’ inner thigh. 

“Did you know that it takes 4 minutes for you to bleed out from your carotid? A little nick in your femoral artery though … you’re lookin at a good 10 minutes. Every pump of your heart pushin a little more life outta you and there ain’t shit you can do about it unless you have a paramedic basically right here. I’ve mapped out your city … we’re at least 25 minutes from the nearest ER, even with a 9-1-1 call. So you’d have about 15 minutes to play with. Thats what happened to my Grace in YOUR city … seems only fair to make sure we return the favor.”

Wolfie twisted the blade slightly and pushed it through the denim on Hans’ thigh and turned the blade down, angling it to just graze against where the femoral artery was at it’s closest to the surface of the skin. The first gush of blood shot out over Wolfie’s hand as he pulled the blade out.

“Because I’m nice, I also know your heart beats slower when you’re unconscious … of course, that shaves your 15 minutes down to about 5 because none of your boys can hear us and you told them to back off until we’re gone,” Wolfie commented, smiling wide enough to show off his fangs before slamming his fist into Hans’ temple, knocking the man unconscious.

“Let’s go.” Wolfie stood up, wiping his hands on his jeans as he strode back to his ride and followed where the truck had gone. He heard Danno and Steve’s bikes start up behind him.

***

Once again it was Wolfie, Danno and Steve sitting in a living room but this time they were joined by Freckles and they had Chin on speakerphone, bringing everyone up to date on what had happened.

“So let me understand,” Chin’s voice came through the speaker, “You think the Valhalla baited Grace with information about her mother and intended for this outcome?”

“Actually, in hindsight, I think it was another competitor who baited her, hoping to throw her off so she couldn’t compete well. She was taking every heat and was going to medal, no question. I think what happened with the Valhalla was just an opportunity they pounced on. They saw her alone and … well, we don’t know what they intended, whether to scare her or to actually hurt her. Either way, he put hands on her and Grace protected herself. I have no problem with her protecting herself but the shitstorm it’s caused IS a problem and she needs to understand there are consequences. Danno and I have already decided, from a family level, that Grace will be allowed to go to school and back, escorted on the back of someone’s bike, for the rest of the year. She won’t be going to Mamo’s at all and the only extracurricular activity she’s going to participate in will be her physical therapy. But all of us here agree that there should be a consequence from the Club, if only to get her attention that behaviour like that affects more than just herself. Especially since she’s apparently destined to follow Malia as First Lady,” Steve explained.

Chin was silent for a moment, presumably to think it through. Finally he responded, “Bring Grace to me when you come home. I’ll have a conversation with her and let Malia sit in. By then, I’ll be able to come up with something suitable as a consequence that drives home the lesson without being too much. I assume from your last comment that congratulations are in order for you, Wolf?”

Wolfie chuckled a bit, looking at Danno and Steve before answering, “Well, she hasn’t kicked my ass to the curb yet and Danno said he likes me so I’m gonna stick around a while. SuperSEAL keeps givin me looks like he wants to feed me to a shark so I’m gonna probably throw Freckles at him as a distraction while I make a run for it.”

Chin’s laughter sounded loud even across the speakerphone. “Oh Wolf, you know that won’t save you, brah. You gotta sleep sometime.”

“I doubt Minneapolis is gonna be a problem again but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to keep our friends up here listening. Al Giabetta did us a solid favor with the bikes and showing up to help take care of Grace. We wouldn’t have been able to pull it off without his help … which we wouldn’t have without Dominic. And he still hasn’t explained how someone like Al owes him a favor but I’m not sure I want to know,” Danno contributed.

“How long you think you’ll be in Chicago?”

“We’re just waiting on Grace being cleared to fly. It’s going to be at least a few more days, maybe a week. At least, that’s what the doctor here is saying,” Steve responded. 

“You take care of what you need to, if you need anyone to come up just let me know. Aloha, guys.”

“Mahalo, Chin,” all of them answered.

Once the call ended, they sat back in their chairs. 

“I know we sprung that one on you Dominic but we figure all of us can share the escorting duties. We’ll work out a schedule but that girl ain’t gonna be unaccounted for at any minute of her life for the rest of the year,” Danno said, rubbing his face with his hands. “And I figure that’ll help once it hits her what happened. Jesus I still can’t believe I’m sittin here with a 16 year old daughter that has 2 bullet wounds.”

“Not to be crude Danno, but at least we still have her with us and that’s thanks to your training and SEAL’s training. If you hadn’t taught her how to protect herself, this would be a much different situation,” Freckles replied. 

Danno waved his hand in a general agreement. “That is true enough, my friend, true enough. But I still don’t want her unaccounted for at all. She’s either at school, home or physical therapy. I don’t care what else she thinks she needs.”

“Let me talk to Shiny. I think he said something about having some borrowed software that can send up an alarm if someone isn’t in a certain place … sort of like the house arrest ankle bracelets,” said Freckles, pulling out his phone to text.

“It keeps gettin better, babe. Now our daughter has bullet wounds and she’ll be wearin a tracker like a criminal. Might as well fuckin tattoo HER knuckles while we’re this close to Jersey. I shoulda fuckin given her to my Ma when she was a baby. I shoulda kept her outta this who-”

“Danno, stop. She’s alive and she had a rebellion that is perfectly normal for any 16 year old. I’m surprised she hasn’t done it sooner to be honest; we give her a lot of leeway in places that we probably shouldn’t have. But what’s done is done and we move forward. She ran away from her problem and stumbled into a larger one and then got herself out of it. It’s not her fault it escalated the way it did and being that she is 16, we will not be tattooing anything on her, much less a set of knuckles that no woman has ever worn in the history of the Red and White,” Steve interrupted Danno, a hand on his shoulder. 

“I dunno SEAL … we could put a tiny little wolf fang on her thumb. I bet Dominic here would just LOVE that.” Freckles teased, laughing as he said it. When they’d been offered their own branch as the Jersey Wolves, they’d all gone out and gotten matching fang tattoos on their left thumbs.

“Hey how about, since we’re doin that, we let Fingers play connect the dots with your face?” Wolfie shot back.

“Or we could, yanno, not tattoo anything on anyone,” Shiny called from the other side of the door. Wolfie got up to let him in and settled back into his chair. Of everyone in the Wolves, Shiny had the fewest tattoos. He had a shamrock on his shoulder, his knuckles and the fang tattoo. “I seriously don’t know how you are as covered as you are. That shit hurts!”

“What’ve you got, Shiny?” asked Wolfie.

The next hour was spent discussing the software, the new jewelry Grace would be sporting and working out generally who would be escorting her back and forth (Wolfie primarily, unless he was occupied and then it’d be one of the Wolves. Danno or Steve would pick her up in the afternoons).

She wouldn’t have a minute of privacy for a very long time … now they just had to tell her.


	16. Chapter 16

Grace’s eyes opened and she groaned as she attempted to adjust herself in the bed, momentarily forgetting about her elbow. She blinked a few times, realizing she wasn’t in the hospital room anymore; she was in a bedroom she’d never seen before, laying in a huge bed and with a view of a skyline she didn’t recognize. Her heart started to slam in her chest and she immediately tried to sink back down, as though she hadn’t woken up. 

“You’re safe, Grace. It’s okay,” came Danno’s voice from somewhere to her left.

She turned towards the sound and her eyes adjusted to the bare light of the room. Danno was sitting in a chair beside the bed looking rumpled and exhausted but he managed a small, tight smile for her. She relaxed a little at seeing him and her memory of the night before came drifting back; she’d woken up a few times during the trip and she remembered Dad leaving the truck at one point. Her doctor had given her painkillers to take in order to keep her pain under control during the drive and she’d taken them at the times she’d been told. She hated how fuzzy they made her and tried to avoid taking them as much as possible but being in the truck and bouncing around like she was, this time she was grateful for them.

“We made it to Chicago?” she asked, her voice a little thick with sleep.

“We did. We’re in an apartment Al is letting us use while we’re in town and then we’re gonna make a side trip over to Jersey before we head home, since we’re close enough.”

“Okay. Where’s Dad?” Grace hated this. Yes, they were talking but it was … cold. Like Danno was only telling her what she asked and nothing more.

“Steve’s sleeping. We’ve been taking turns watching you to make sure you were okay after the drive.” Danno’s voice was holding something back, she could tell.

“Danno, what’s going on? You’re never like this with me.”

“Grace, once Steve wakes up and we’ve all had a chance to get some coffee and food into us, we’re going to have a long conversation about what happened and what your consequences are. We were going to wait until we got home but changed our minds,” Danno stood up and came over to the bed, sitting on the side and running his hand over her forehead like he used to do when she was a little girl. “I love you, Monkey. I will always love you and I’m so sorry for what happened. I’m sorry for putting you in harms way with this life.”

“Danno, I wouldn’t change a thing about my life. I have you and Dad, I have my Uncles and Aunties at home, plus my Uncles in Newark. I may not have the ignorance that other kids have about the world and what really goes on but I have the safety of my family. You didn’t put me in any harm’s way by trying to protect me … I did that to myself by taking off. What happened in the pa-,” Grace’s voice cracked and she had to swallow something bitter in her throat before she could continue, “in the park wasn’t your fault. If I hadn’t been in the park alone because I ran away, it never would have happened. I was stupid and immature and I know better. But it was li-”

“Monkey, I know you know better but let’s hold this conversation for when the whole family is together. I promised Steve and Dominic that we’d all talk at the same time. Do you need anything? Are you hurting?”

Grace shook her head. “My leg hurts a little and my elbow is achy but I don’t need anything for it, especially not those pills the doctor gave me. They make me fuzzy and I hate that. But maybe you can help me stand up and watch me walk to the bathroom, make sure I don’t fall?”

Danno stood up and Grace pushed the covers down, ignoring the steri-strips on her leg where the bullet wound was, and put her good leg down on the floor. When Danno held out his arm, she used it to pull herself up and settle her bad leg down carefully. The twinge of pain that shot up through her body made her clench down on Danno a little harder and he put his arm under her shoulder and lifted her off her leg. 

“No. No, I’m okay. It was just a twitch I think. I haven’t really been on my leg in like a week. And the doctors said I have to start walking a little bit at a time, right?” Grace asked, trying to keep a smile on her face. She could feel the sweat breaking out on her forehead from just the little effort it was to get out of the bed but she was determined to recover. Little steps, little walks is what the doctor had said. Don’t overdo it and don’t sit in chairs for long periods of time without putting her leg up. And absolutely no riding a bike for a long while. 

“Can you let me down? I really want to try, Danno.”

Slowly he lowered her to the floor again and she bit back the wince when her leg came down on the floor. She leaned heavily on Danno as she put her good leg out first and took a step with the bad one. The pain wasn’t so sharp but it throbbed all the way down her leg and into the base of her spine. Another step and the throb got stronger so she leaned a little more on Danno. By the third step, she admitted defeat. 

“I can’t do it Danno. I’m sorry. It hurts too much … I’m so sor-,” Grace tried to apologize but wound up bursting into tears. Part of it was from the pain, part of it from the frustration and the humiliation of being so crippled. Her face was hot with tears and she couldn’t stop sobbing, which of course, brought Steve and Dominic rushing into the room to find out what was going on. Her humiliation just kept getting better and better.

“What’s wrong? What happened?” Steve asked, concern lacing his voice.

“Grace wanted to try taking a little walk and it’s just a little too soon. So we’re just going to give her a hand over there to the bathroom and then help her back into bed. It’s okay, Grace. You’ll get there.” Danno’s voice was calm and soothing but Grace was still sobbing. She felt hollow and ashamed and it was like a giant black hole had opened up inside of her.

She couldn’t stop thinking about how all of this had happened because of her own stupidity. All of this happened because she acted like a spoiled brat and had taken off, even though she knew she shouldn’t be alone. She was completely to blame for them even BEING in Minneapolis in the first place … if she hadn’t pushed to go to the Games … if she hadn’t pushed to have one last hurrah, none of this would have happened and that man wouldn’t have died and there wouldn’t have been a war started with the Valhalla and she should have just been happy with staying in Ha-

“Grace, stop. Stop, baby. You can’t take that kind of blame on your shoulders. Yes, you made a mistake and it blew up but we took care of it. C’mon, mia Regina. C’mere,” Wolfie’s voice interrupted her thoughts, which she hadn’t realized she’d been saying out loud and he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up into his arms so she was completely off her feet. He pulled her close to his chest and used his thumb to rub against the back of her arm. She curled into him, breathing in the pine and motor oil scent that clung to him.

“I … I’m … I’m jus … just so … sor … sorry. I shou… shouldn’t have just … run away.” Grace couldn’t stop crying and she was ruining his shirt with her tears.

“It’s alright. We’ll talk about it later. For now, let’s take care of the immediate need. Do you want your wheelchair or do you want me to carry you?” Wolfie asked, surprising Grace.

“I have a wheelchair?”

“Yep. It’s not quite as cool as your bike but hey, at least you still got wheels, right?” Steve tried to joke, running his thumb under her eyes, wiping away tears. “You’ll get through this, ali’i. Go on, take her to the bathroom and then we’ll get her back in bed and get ahead of the pain.”

“Dad please. I don’t want those pills the doctor gave me … they make me fuzzy and sleepy and I need to recover, not just lay there like a vegetable.”

“We’ll talk about it after you’re done,” Danno’s reply was final and she nodded her head.

By the time she’d finished in the bathroom and Dominic had carried her back to bed, she was exhausted; both from the crying and from the exertion. Now her leg really was throbbing and her elbow was screaming all the way up her arm. When he laid her down, she winced and tried to adjust herself which only made it worse. She held her breath to keep from crying but one tear escaped the side of her eye.

“What do you need, Grace? Where do you need to be? Danno’s coming with your meds,” Wolfie told her.

“Pull me up a little on the bed. My leg needs to be elevated when I’m laying down and it’s not quite on the wedge right, please?” Grace asked and Wolfie moved her where she needed to be. With just that one movement, the throbbing in her leg died down to an uncomfortable nuisance instead of an all consuming pain. She smiled as she released her breath. “Thank you.”

“Anything for you babe. Anything.” His eyes were dark and he leaned over to steal a kiss from her, his hand cupping behind her head. She leaned up, meeting him halfway and wrapped her good arm around his shoulders, bracing herself against him. Yes, her body was in pain and she’d just cried her eyes out but his kiss made her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. 

He licked against her lip and she opened her mouth, surprised when his tongue slid against hers. It sent a jolt of warmth through her body that coiled in her stomach and made it flip upside down. She moved to lean closer, to get more of his kiss, and her leg exploded with pain. She jerked back, hissing as she fell back onto the bed, her good arm automatically reaching out for her thigh, where the pain seemed centered.

“Oh fuck, Grace. Grace what’s wrong … what happened?” His voice was worried and he yanked the covers down to look at her leg, which had fallen off the wedge.

“Up. Please. Put it up,” Grace whimpered, trying to breathe through the pain until she felt him gently move her leg back up onto the wedge. This time, the pain went from explosive to agony and it seemed like there wouldn’t be any relief. 

“I’m so sorry Grace. I shoulda known … shoulda … fuck, Grace … lemme go fi-” Wolfie was turning away from the bed, she assumed to go find Danno but she wanted him here. She reached out with her good arm and grabbed his shirt, pulling him back.

“St … tay.”

She closed her eyes and tried to breathe her way through it … remembering what Kono had taught her about using your breathing to control your body when you were on a wave. She counted her breathes and tried to picture something that made her happy. She pictured her bedroom at home with it’s huge windows to let all the sunlight in and the smell of bananas and pineapple. She pictured her bike and riding along the North Shore … riding at Mamos … eventually, she got control of the pain just as Danno arrived and held out a glass of water and a pill. She didn’t argue taking it and 15 minutes later, she slipped off to sleep, still thinking about home.

***

Wolfie watched her fall asleep, sweat on her forehead and dried tears streaking her face. When he’d first come into the room and found her standing up and crying, his first instinct was to take her into his arms and protect her from whatever was making her cry. Hearing her taking the blame for everything that happened, knowing she didn’t even realize she was talking out loud, had damn near killed him. He’d taken her from Danno and pulled her up into his arms without thinking, cradling her as she cried. They were in for a long road ahead of them with her recovery … both physical and emotional. She’d killed a man. Yes it was justified and completely in self-defense but that still would weigh on her and he wasn’t sure how it would affect her, long term. 

Now, sitting here watching her lay in his bed and finally seeing a relaxation of her features, it was his turn to ache. He’d wanted to kiss her so badly, he hadn’t thought of how precarious her position on the bed was. And for those few seconds, he’d been in heaven; the taste of her lips against his and her arms around his shoulders was the balm for his soul. The more time he spent with her, the more he fell in love and now he knew she felt the same. He wanted to protect her from everything that would ever hurt her.

Danno touched his shoulder and motioned for him to follow out of the room. “Let her rest. The meds’ll keep her down for a couple hours at least.”

As they left the room and walked into the living room, Wolfie thought about everything she’d said. Sitting down, he pushed his hair back from his face and scrubbed at his mouth.

“I didn’t think she’d take the guilt like that.”

“None of did, Dominic. But she did protect herself and ultimately that protection was fatal. She’s not like us; she knows HOW to protect herself but that’s the first time she’s ever HAD to. She knows about violence but we’ve always managed to keep the majority of it away from her. And this is going to make me sound like the shittiest father on the planet but I hope this happening finally gets it through her head what this life is. She’s chosen it, she needs to know what she’s in for.” Danno suddenly sounded exhausted and Wolfie could understand what he meant. Being a First Lady meant you hosted parties, kept the other ol’ ladies in line but occasionally there were times you were targeted specifically because of who you were with and would have to protect yourself. 

“Doris was like that. She knew what she was doing and she had to protect herself a few times … back then, the Yakuza were pretty open about their hits and they had a real problem with my father. I know Doris took out at least 3 or 4 hits before they could get her … and I know the toll that took on her as well. She bottled it up and would never talk about it with anyone. Maybe we should consider reaching out in the Club and our connections … see if there’s someone Grace could talk to about what happened? There’s gotta be someone in the ranks, ya?” Steve posed the question and Wolfie nodded.

“I’ll ask around. Jersey or Hawaii … might even have someone in another Club,” Wolfie said. His heart was slow and steady but his mind was racing to think of what else he could do to help her.

“Shakespeare’s in with Grace for the night. I suggest all of us get some rest and tomorrow maybe try again with having Grace take a few steps.” Danno stood up and hugged Wolfie before heading towards the door. Steve followed behind him after also hugging Wolfie and finally it was time for him to get some rest. He debated back and forth before he finally made his way towards the other bedroom in his apartment. He’d considered going and sleeping beside Grace but didn’t want to disturb her.

***

Screaming woke him up and he was out of bed in an instant, gun in hand and racing towards the sound of Grace’s shrill cries. He slammed into the door, opening it with his shoulder and scanned the room with his eyes, gun raised. It took a second or two before he registered the only person in the room beside Grace was Shakespeare and he was frozen in the chair, not wanting to get shot. Wolfie put the safety on his gun and went over to the bed where Grace was sound asleep and screaming. She was thrashing around, which was causing her leg to fall off the wedge and probably contributing to her pain while the opiates the doctor had prescribed were keeping her asleep; trapped in what appeared to be a nightmare. 

Wolfie threw the covers down and put her leg back on the wedge before climbing into the bed and wrapping himself around her, trying to hold her still. He began to whisper in her ear, hoping she could hear him. “Shh, mia Regina. Non c'è nulla di cui preoccuparsi, nulla di cui aver paura. Sei al sicuro e il tuo lupo è qui per proteggerti. Nulla può farti del male qui, non con me qui per proteggerti. Rilassatevi, mia regina. Rilassatevi e dormire. Io veglieranno su di te per il resto della nostra vita. Ti amo, Grace.”

He curled his body around hers and pulled the covers back up over their bodies as she began to still. Vaguely, he heard Danno and Steve come in and Shakespeare explain what had happened but he wasn’t disturbed as he pressed a kiss to her temple and held her, drifting off to sleep himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wolfie's speech: "Shh, my Queen. There is nothing to worry about, nothing to be afraid of. You're safe and your wolf is here to protect you. Nothing can harm you here, not with me here to protect you. Relax, my queen. Relax and sleep. I will watch over you for the rest of our lives. I love you, Grace."


	17. Chapter 17

Dominic opened his eyes to find Grace curled up against his body with her good arm underneath her body and her wounded arm resting very carefully on his arm. He looked down to find her awake and looking at him with a mixture of delight and confusion. Her eyes were still puffy from her crying, her hair was absolutely everywhere and she still looked like she was half asleep. He couldn’t help himself; as carefully as he could, he leaned forward and captured her lips in a gentle kiss, nibbling gently on the swell of her bottom lip (he knew she loved the feeling of his “fang” on her lip) and breathing in the warmth of their first morning together in bed. A moment later, he pulled back; he didn’t want a repeat of their kiss last night which had led to her leg falling off the wedge.

“Good morning, Grace.”

“Gmrnng. Whu ydon hr?” Grace was less than articulate until you got coffee and a shower into her. Thankfully Wolfie’d had almost 3 years now to learn how to decipher it.

“You were having nightmares last night and you were throwing yourself around the bed. I came in to protect the mattress from being beaten into submission.”

She managed a tight smile and he saw the look in her eyes change; like her nightmares had caught up to her. He pulled her a little closer and kissed the top of he head.

“Okay, I might’ve come to protect you too.” He felt her give a half-hearted chuckle and she tickled his elbow with her fingertips. He pulled back again and looked down at her.

“What can I do for you, my Queen?” he teased.

She blushed a little and her eyes looked over at the bathroom. “Dno?”

He nodded and kissed the tip of her nose. “I’ll go get him for you. Do you want me to carry you in there before I get him?” 

She nodded, blushing a little more and laid her head against his shoulder when he lifted her up, pressing her lips to the side of his neck and putting a kiss of her own against his skin. His body was very suddenly interested in carrying her right back into the bed but there was no way  their first time was going to happen while she was recovering from being shot and there was ZERO way he would take her to bed with both of her terrifying fathers right next door. It took everything he had in him to keep walking into the bathroom and sitting her down in the chair, putting her leg up on the stool they’d brought in just for that purpose. He leaned forward and kissed her again, this time purposefully catching her lip with his teeth and biting down gently. He felt her body stiffen and then melt against him, her good arm coming up to grasp his shirt and hold him close. He knew that he should be getting Danno right now, that he was playing with fire but it was the first time they’d really had alone since coming to Minneapolis and he missed the softness of her lips.

He tilted his head, licking against her mouth and felt her tongue slide out to curl against his. He had been resting his hands on the arms of the chair but he brought them up, holding the side of her head so he could deepen their kiss. He felt her sigh as she tilted her body so more of their torsos were pressed together through the thin material of both of their t-shirts. Desire ran straight down to his cock when he felt her hard nipples against his chest and he kissed her more hungrily. They’d never done more than kiss and touch here and there (He respected her to wait until she knew what she wanted, if she wanted to date someone else, live her life … and he was petrified of her fathers) and this was by far the hottest kiss they’d shared. Maybe because of the adrenaline of what had happened; maybe because of almost losing her. He didn’t know but feeling her teeth bite against his lip as her hand came down to run up under his t-shirt had him sinking to his knees in front of her and pulling his shirt off. 

Her eyes were almost black they were so dark and her breath was coming short and fast; he could see her nipples poking against her shirt and he wanted nothing more than to take them into his mouth and see what her reaction would be if he ran his fang against that sensitive nub. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on and he wanted to make love to her so badly his balls were aching. The brush of her fingers against his flat nipples, the mischievous smile on her lips and his hands were in her hair again, pulling her forward to kiss. Their mouths came together, a little more hungrily and with far more teeth clacking together. He felt her purring when his hands came down from her hair to the top of her chest and he hesitated a moment before bringing his palms down and cupping her breasts against his palm. Even through her t-shirt, he could feel how soft and warm she was and suddenly his hands were under her shirt, cupping and teasing her nipples. Her mouth had gone from his lips to his neck and he heard her moaning his name against his skin as she nibbled and bit her way back up to his ear.

“Heard you. In my sleep last night. Heard you talkin. Love you, my wolf. I love you, Dominic.”

His whole body reacted to hearing those words. His lips pressed against her neck, one fang dragging across the skin of her shoulder and he felt his cock leaking. He had to stop; had to stop right now because … because … why? Why stop? Fuck she felt so good and he imagined she would feel amazing riding his cock like she rode her bike. 

Her bike

The bike she can’t ride

Because of her wound.

That stopped him. He eased his way back, pulling his hands out from under her shirt and leaned his forehead against hers, both of them breathing heavily. He looked into her eyes again and saw that she understood why he’d stopped.

“I love you, Grace. No boundaries. But right now, we gotta stop. You’re healing.”

“… and my fathers are right on the other side of that wall and they’d probably eviscerate both of us,” she finished for him, smiling. “Go get Danno, please. Walk slow so I can put myself together and ask him if he can come help me shower.”

“I’d love to help you shower …”

“Evisceration isn’t as much fun as you’d think, Dominic. Go.” she pointed over his shoulder, stealing one last kiss.

***

They were all sitting in the living room, Grace stretched out on the couch with her leg up and Dominic behind her, his arm wrapped possessively around her shoulders and her head resting against his shoulder. Danno and Steve were sitting across from them, neither looking happy. Grace was tense and trying not to show it; she had a feeling she knew what was coming and she also knew she deserved it. Neither meant she had to like it.

“Grace, we’re not going to re-hash what happened. You know what happened and the aftermath,” Danno started and Grace nodded, her face burning with embarrassment but not taking her eyes off him. 

“Sometimes, we forget you’re only 16 and we let you have a lot of freedom and knowledge that girls your age don’t have, even growing up in the Club. And usually that’s been okay for us and I think we’ve shared more things than we should have. We can’t take that back, you know what you know and there’s no changing that but, since you DO know, you also should know that we’re holding you to a higher standard. With your relationship with Dominic being what it is, you’re Malia’s successor. That means it’s your job to set the example that other women in the Club follow. Once we get back to Hawaii, you’re going to meet with Chin and Malia and Chin is going to tell you what the consequences for your actions are going to be from a Club level.” 

“Monkey, we know you didn’t intend for any of this to happen. From what Steve and I can figure out, one of your competitors at the X Games figured out who you were and did enough digging to feed the information to the reporter, hoping to throw you off track enough that you’d lose a few heats. What came after was just pure opportunity and terrible coincidence. However, that doesn’t change that an incident was sparked; one that we’re pretty sure we’ve put to rest as we left Minneapolis. Your Wolf can be very persuasive when he wants to be,” Danno winked at Dominic and smiled at Grace.

“We’ve decided that your punishment for your stunt with running away is house arrest. For the rest of the year, you will be escorted to and from school and your therapy appointments. Either Dominic or one of us will take you back and forth, that’s it. No Mamo’s, no joy riding, no riding your bike; you will be accountable for every minute of your day,” her Dad said. She hung her head but nodded, accepting her punishment. Honestly it was far easier than what she’d thought would be done but then she remembered she still had Chin to face.

“There’s one more thing, Grace,” Dominic said as he shifted a little and he took a bracelet from inside his cut. It was a simple bangle bracelet with two charms hanging free, the letter D and the letter G. He held it out to her and she slid her hand through, confused happiness going through her. It was the first gift he’d really given her that was just from him but he’d said it was related to her punishment?

“There’s a tracking chip inside the charms so we always know where you are, in case you’re ever in trouble.”

There was a heavy silence for a moment in the room while they waited to see what Grace’s reaction would be. She reached down to Wolfie’s hand on her shoulder and brought it to her lips, pressing a kiss against his knuckle.

“Thank you for the bracelet. It’s beautiful and I get it. I broke everyone’s trust and have to earn it back. This keeps everyone’s piece of mind to know where I am once I’m not being escorted around next year. I really am sorry. I know I keep saying it but I don’t know what else to say. I’ve always appreciated the honesty you share with me and that you treat me more like an adult than a kid, which is something that I abused when I took off. There aren’t many kids, Club or otherwise, who have the privileges I have and I’ll work to earn them back. I guess I never really thought about the example that I’ll have to set but you’re right … if you’re okay with my relationship with Dominic. I know where he’s heading and I’m going to be beside him the whole ride, support him and help the Club like a First Lady should.”

Grace felt a bubble of happiness in her chest expand for the first time. It was the first time she’d really openly acknowledged that her role in the Club was going to follow Malia’s and while it was a little intimidating, it was something that she wanted. That happiness, she hoped, would get her through meeting with Uncle Chin once they got home and through the coming months of house arrest. 

“As for you, Dominic. You watch her and you take care of her just like you always have. And perhaps, the next time the two of you decide to do more than hold hands, you might recall that SuperSEAL over here has supersonic hearing, babe. There are certain things a father doesn’t need to know and one of them is that his daughter knows how to kiss.” Danno pinned Wolfie with a look that could kill and Grace felt him blush.

“Uh. Yes Sir. Got it.” Dominic mumbled under his breath and Grace could tell it was a struggle for him to meet their eyes. She was having a little trouble herself, especially with Dad staring at her with that half-smirk he wore when he was fucking with her.

“We love you, Monkey. And we just want to keep you safe, you get that. You’re a strong young woman … stronger than I ever dreamed of you being and I couldn’t be more proud of you. You know you can come to us and talk about anything, no matter what it is. You have a lot of adjustment ahead of you, not just with the escorting. You’ve lost something that has been important to you for years, you have physical therapy to help you heal and what happened in the park. If you don’t feel like you can talk to one of us, or someone in the Club, we can find someone for you. Don’t bottle this up, Grace. It haunts you if you don’t deal with it.”

Grace nodded again. “I guess it hasn’t really hit me yet about the riding. I mean, consciously I know I’ll never compete again because I won’t have the dexterity to pull tricks but I can still be involved once I go to school and get my degree. Make engines safer, bikes safer. I can concentrate on that and maybe that will help once it hits me for real. As for what happened in the park …,” Grace’s voice drifted away and Wolfie laced his fingers through hers, holding her close.

“Always safe, Grace. You’re always safe with us,” he whispered against her ear.

“I was scared. More scared than I’ve ever been in my life. The things he said … what he meant to do. I didn’t like doing what I did but I know I had no choice. And I’m grateful I knew how to protect myself. I had a nightmare about it last night … in my dream, I didn’t know how. In my dream … he had me and he … yanno. So I was scared and I guess I always will be afraid of what he might have done but you all taught me how to not be a victim. I don’t feel guilty about that.” Grace’s voice hardened ever so slightly and her chin came up, putting up a brave face.

“Well, if you ever need someone to talk to, we’re here. It’s no easy thing, protecting yourself. But we’re all glad that you knew how and you remembered how. Too many people freeze up when the time comes,” her Dad said and something in his face made her sad. She leaned up as much as she could and held out her good arm.

“Can I have a hug, Daddy?”

“Of course you can, ali’i. I’ll do my best to give you the best hug I can, knowing I can’t measure up to your hugs.” Her Dad smiled as he came across the room to hug her, kissing her forehead as well.

“Ko aloha makamae e ipo.”

“Aloha pumehana, Makuakane.”

“Did I ever tell you that once upon a time, they both actually spoke English, Dominic? I know it’s hard to realize but they did … actual almost Jersey-like English,” Danno groused with a smirk.

“Bodda you, brah?” Dominic deadpanned and Grace started laughing so hard her elbow started to ache. She clutched at her stomach and could feel tears running down the side of her face at the expression on Danno’s face … completely shocked.

“Oh just fuck all of you with your Hawaiian and your bird language. Just … fuck all of you,” Danno laughed as he said it, taking the heat out. 

***

They spent another 3 days in Chicago with Al and his son Henry, having dinner every night. One night, as they were sitting in the living room, Al brought in bags from Superdawg and Dominic groaned. 

“What? You know you missed this. Grace, don’t let this guy lie to you … he loves a classic Chicago Red Hot,” Al stated, grinning.

Grace eyed the neon green relish with the same suspicious look Wolfie had given it and she looked over at him. “You ate this? Like … willingly?”

“I wouldn’t say it was willingly but we managed to convince him to at least give it a try,” was Henry’s reply. Grace had liked him from the minute she’d met him; he was dry and sarcastic and incredibly smart. He also worshiped Wolfie and couldn’t do enough for him. Grace dragged the story out of him one night and she looked at her man with new eyes. She’d always known he was a good man but his quick thinking had saved a life for no other reason than it was the right thing to do. Of course, she was also looking at him with new eyes because something woke up inside of her that morning she’d found him in her bed … something that wanted to find out what could have happened if they’d been alone and she wasn’t recovering. But she had to tamp that down (way down) for now … age of consent notwithstanding, she’s pretty sure Wolfie was scared shitless of her Dad.

“Why is it so … green?” She stared at the relish, convinced it was staring back at her.

“It’s a Chicago secret, Grace. If we told you, you’d have to live here for the rest of your life,” Henry teased and Grace snorted.

“You have terrible pizza, neon green relish and the Bears. I’ll pass, thanks.” She winked to take the heat out of the insult and Al started that full bellied laugh.

“Spoken like a true girl from Jersey. Lemme guess, yous a Jets fan.”

“J-E-T-S, Jets! Jets! Jets! Jets!” Grace chanted, laughing. “Actually, I like football but I’m not obsessed like Danno. I’ll root for anyone, really. But I’m sorry, Mr. Giabetta, I just can’t forgive the thing you call pizza.”

“So … sendin you home with a lifetime supply of our relish for diagnosing a bad carburetor in that Fatboy would be in poor taste then?” he asked teasingly.

“Was it bad? See, I knew there was something screwy with it when it was coughing at idle. The pitch was wrong but I couldn’t figure out if it was the mix screw or the actual carb. That’s the trouble you have with the stock Fatboys. On the one I have back home, I traded out the original carburetor for a fuel injected system and upgraded the engine to a 103B Twin Cam. If I had my tools here, I could he …,” Grace voice trailed off, realizing she couldn’t work on a bike either. Her elbow was still recovering and she didn’t have the range of motion required to get into a bike. And she couldn’t stand under a bay or sit on the floor. Once again, another stumbling block. She bit her lip and reached out for her hot dog, taking a bite so she wouldn’t have to look up and see everyone staring at her like she was some pitiful creature.

“I appreciate that. You’ll have to come back to Chicago and show me what you can do and if you’re better than that Wolf of yours. Did he tell you about the bike he built for me?” Al filled the silence seemlessly.

Grace shook her head, mouth still full. She knew he’d built the bike but hadn’t seen it.

“Make sure he shows you before you leave. That way you can impress me by doing a better job next time,” Al said, matter-of-factly. Grace smiled gratefully, swallowing.

“Thanks. I’d like to see the bike.” She was trying to keep her mood up and at least pretend to be happy but being reminded of her limitations had dampened her good mood. Wolfie reached over and rubbed her shoulder, running his hand down her spine and just resting his hand against her back, providing that strength and warmth that she needed at times. 

“That bike was some of my best work, but I had one hell of an inspiration to start with. Red’s original design was incredible and I just took what he’d already done and tweaked it just enough to make it better. Grace was a student of Red’s as well so maybe she can even improve on my greatness.” Wolfie sounded proud and Grace risked a glance up. He wasn’t looking at her but his expression was one of absolute belief, which caused her heart to lighten slightly.

The rest of the night was spent eating and discussing their upcoming trip. They were flying out of O’Hare in the morning with Grace and Wolfie flying first class so she could lift her leg up onto his lap. The airline had been made aware of her condition and they assured Steve they would absolutely accommodate any medical needs Grace may have. They’d land in Jersey late morning and get settled into their houses. Wolfie had called ahead and asked Tiny if he could have his parents’ old place furnished and stocked up so Steve, Danno and Grace could stay there. He could crash with Freckles at his Ma’s place, like he’d almost always done as a kid. 

“C’mon Grace, lemme show you the bike before it gets too late.” Wolfie stood up from the couch they had been sharing and lifted her into his arms. She giggled softly as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, feeling completely safe.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is smut ... I tried to keep it as reasonable as possible considering Grace is still technically underage ... but Albert ... well, you all know Albert by now.

“Why do I suddenly feel like I’m about to be invaded by the oncoming horde?” Wolfie whispered at Grace.

“Because we’re both about to meet Danno’s side of the family in person for the first time and even though his mother promised it would only be a few of them, Dad warned us that could mean anywhere from 3 to 25 people,” Grace answered, holding his hand. 

They were in Jersey, in his childhood home that the Machine had not only re-furnished but had cleaned and cleared out the back bedroom for Grace so she wouldn’t have to go up and down the stairs. When they’d arrived, Danno and Steve had insisted he stay in the house with them and he couldn’t help but imagine this is what life with Grace would be like someday. Danno’s mother had invited them to dinner at her house but when they explained about Grace … somehow that had turned into them inviting themselves to Wolfie’s house and they were bringing dinner. Danno hadn’t stopped raving about his Ma’s sauce and Steve had secretly taken them aside and planned an escape route in case it got to be too much. And the sad part was, he wasn’t joking around when he’d planned it out … like a strategic op.

“We could take refuge at Freckles’ place. We still have time to escape,” he offered and she squeezed his hand, kissing his knuckles. 

“We’ll hold our retreat until we know what we’re facing. It might just be Claire and Eddie.”

“It could also be Claire, Eddie, Stella, Diane, Stella’s husband, Diane’s three kids, and half the population of Newark. I think Danno’s related to everyone in the First Ward,” Steve reminded them from the chair he was seated in across from the couch they were resting against, Grace’s leg up on the cushion and using Wolfie as a support brace.

“I made Ma promise to keep it under 5 people. I argued that we don’t have enough room at the table for more than five.”

Steve snorted, like he didn’t believe him and Danno reached over to run his fingers through Steve’s hair. One thing Wolfie had noticed since they’d all been staying in the same house, was how comfortable Danno and Steve were with touching each other. Out in public, it was more reserved but in the privacy of the house, they were always touching or brushing up against each other (and Wolfie was determined to erase the image of them shirtless and making out in the kitchen from his brain. He’d walked in on them yesterday and turned right around and walked back out. Now he knew how they felt about hearing he and Grace kissing.)

“I promise to protect you if my aunts show up, babe,” Danno kissed Steve’s temple and Steve leaned into the touch.

“Did you get her to agree to keep it to under five people or did she simply agree we don’t have the room for more than five? Because I wouldn’t put it past your mother to bring a catering truck with tables and set up out on the lanai,” Steve commented.

“Patio!” came 3 voices and Danno grinned.

“We’re in Newark, Steven. In Newark, we have patios and porches. When we get back home, we can call it a lanai but here in Jersey, it’s a patio. And yes, she agreed that she would just bring Pop, Stella and Diane.”

Steve snorted again and Wolfie felt Grace giggle against him. 

“Well, it looks like she kept her word Danno.” Grace was looking out the window behind the couch and Wolfie turned his head to look. There was a blonde woman on the arm of a dark haired older man and 2 women following behind them. They all looked like Danno in one way or another and Wolfie could see the strongest resemblance in who he assumed was Claire.

Moments later, they were all in the living room introducing each other. It seemed a little surreal to Wolfie to be meeting Danno’s parents; like they were just your normal, every day family meeting the grandparents for the first time. Claire was a force of nature, just like Danno and when he’d held out his hand to shake hers, she’d grabbed him into a hug that he was fairly certain cracked a rib. “You’re family. Family hugs.” was her only explanation. The other 3 Williamses all hugged him as well, though none quite so aggressively.

He helped Grace to her feet and kept an eye on her as she was introduced to her grandparents for the first time. She took them in stride; he could see the wariness in her eyes but she held her own. She was polite and welcoming, if not exactly her usual bubbly self. He knew she had grown up never caring if she met her grandparents or not but you couldn’t tell that from the way she hugged Claire, Eddie and her aunts. Once the introductions were done, Claire asked Eddie and Danno to go out to the car and get dinner. Wolfie helped Grace back down onto the couch and went after Danno to help out.

There was so much food, by the time they were done bringing in boxes and containers, that Wolfie thought the table might actually bow at the center. Claire had made lasagna, garlic bread, salad, antipasto, meatballs and sausage. Diane (he thinks) brought ricotta pie and a cheesecake while Stella had brought plates, cups and silverwear. It took a little maneuvering but they finally all got settled in the dining room and started eating, with Grace sitting in her wheelchair at the head of the table sideways so her leg could be elevated.

At first, conversation was difficult because no-one really knew what to talk about. They were all trying to avoid certain topics (Diane’s kidnapping, Grace’s injuries, what Wolfie did for a living) which left precious little to discuss at a first meal. Surprisingly, it was Grace who broke the ice.

“Diane, can you tell me about your kids? I’d like to meet them someday.”

Diane smiled warmly and started talking about her 3 boys, which got Stella talking about her kids and then Danno talking about Grace as a baby. Wolfie absorbed it all, tucking away pieces of information about Grace for teasing later. He was caught off guard when Stella turned her attention towards him.

“And you, Treetopper? How do you like livin’ in paradise?” she smiled warmly as she asked, taking the sting out of the nickname.

“It was hard to get used to at first but the people have been very welcoming and there’s a few things I’ve found that I really love about it.” he wasn’t even sly about looking at Grace, who shared one of their smiles with him.

“Aw, ain’t he cute? He’s so cute.” Stella teased.

“Oh he’s not talking about me, Stella. He loves poke and I was the one who told him about it. He’s also a huge fan of poi,” Grace deadpanned, which led to Wolfie choking on his soda while Danno and Steve started laughing. The Williamses all looked confused and Danno attempted to explain but gave up and let Steve take over.

“When we were here last, Dominic’s friend David brought over some Jersey Breakfast Dogs and … let’s just say Grace and I were not fans. When the Wolves went to Oahu, Grace got her revenge by threatening them with poi, which is a grey starchy side-dish made from pounded taro root and poke, which is a raw fish salad made with very oily tuna or octopus. Both are … much like your breakfast dog … an acquired taste.”

The faces on the Williamses was enough to set them all off again laughing and the tension dissipated. 

“Wolves? Is that the name of your Club, Dominic?” Claire was asking. He had to remind himself that she didn’t know it wasn’t something they talked about outside of the comfort of the Club. He smiled at her before responding. “There’s a group of friends that came with me to Oahu when we took Grace home. My nickname growing up was Wolfie because of my incisors,” he smiled wider to show them off before continuing, “so Grace started calling us the Wolf pack. It stuck from there on. We’re Grace’s Wolves.”

“Seriously, I’m gonna get fricken diabetes here with all this sweetness. Between those two,” Diane gestured between Grace and Dominic, “and these two, I’m gonna need insulin.” She pointed at Danno and Steve. “However, I will say this … I really am glad to finally have the chance to meet my niece and owe all of you my life. I’m happy to be here to meet you.”

Her voice broke and Danno reached across the table to take her hand. “Diane we’re really glad you’re here too. Because Christ knows Stella can’t make a ricotta pie and I don’t think anyone else in the family has the recipe.”

Wolfie laughed right along with everyone else at that one.

***

It was weird, finally meeting Danno’s family. Technically she knew they were her family as well but she didn’t feel that connection to them yet. For now, they were people she’d met and was getting to know. Claire was a bit much to take at first but eventually Grace had figured out she was just loud like Danno. Eddie was quiet and let Claire do the talking but when he’d hugged her at the end of the night, his embrace had been warm and welcoming, reminding her so much of Uncle Mamo. She wasn’t sure what to make of Stella and Diane but they also reminded her of Danno so she guessed it would come in time. 

For her, the best part of the night was right now. Steve and Danno had gone out somewhere and it was just Grace and Dominic in the house, sitting in the living room with the TV on low. Grace had no idea what the show was because she was just drowsing in Dominic’s arms, idly tracing his tattoos on his hands and forearm. It was strange and comforting at the same time to not see the AFFA knuckles on him yet. She knew someday he’d have them … they all did. But she also knew what you had to do in order to earn your knuckles and she wasn’t looking forward to that. 

“I think I want a tattoo,” she stated, matter of factly.

“What do you want to get?” came his reply.

“Would it be weird to say I want a Yamaha 250cc engine?”

Wolfie chuckled and kissed the top of her head. “On anyone else, yes. But for you, it’s perfect. But to get something that big, you might have to wait until you’re actually 18 … You can hide something small now but an engine with detail? You got a bit of a wait.”

Grace turned her head up towards him and smiled. “You were expecting me, the Queen of the Nac Nac jump, to get something small?”

“Nah. I was expecting you to be a delicate and fragile girl and want a dolphin or a flower,” he teased her.

“Pfft. I’ll get a flower tattoo the day YOU get a flower tattoo, my Wolf.”

“Then ain’t you in for a surprise tomorrow.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Grace laid down in his lap so she didn’t have to turn her head and could just look up at him.

“Fingers is inking me tomorrow with a blue violet, like your Dad and Danno.”

“Think Danno would flip if I asked if Fingers could do one for me too?”

“Doesn’t hurt to ask. Where you gonna put it?”

Grace thought for a minute, picturing it in her head of where she’d want it. 

“Would it be incredibly girlie if I wanted to put it on my foot?”

“Why your foot?” Dominic was brushing his fingers through her hair and she smiled, closing her eyes.

“I’m rooted in New Jersey. It’s where I’ll always be from so having it on my foot makes sense.”

“Hmm … that does make sense. I was gonna put mine over my heart since my chest is pretty bare but yeah, I can see where being rooted in Jersey makes sense. Doesn’t mean I’m doin it but it makes sense for you.”

“Aw and here I thought you were gonna tell me we could be the couple that has matching tattoos and does everything together like those annoying hipster types that come to the island.”

Wolfie laughed out loud, dislodging her head from his lap for a moment. 

“Well, once you graduate I assume we are gonna be spending a lot of time together. You’ll be at the garage, right? So maybe I should ink my foot so we can be annoying together.”

“Uhh yeah. I’m gonna take a pass on that one. First Lady plausible deniability, mio Lupo. ‘My husband is a mechanic in a garage, officer. I have no idea what you’re talking about with the accusation that he’s somehow done something illegal’.”

Wolfie stiffened behind her and she opened her eyes to look up at him. His expression was unreadable and she sat up, turning to look at him. “What? What’d I say?”

He blinked for a second before he seemed to find his voice. “Husband?”

Grace looked at the couch cushion, blushing. “Well, I mean … we don’t have to. Who knows … maybe it’ll nev-”

Wolfie cut her off with a kiss, his hands pulling her forward into his arms. The kiss was hot and hungry and a little bit desperate. She responded immediately, the liquid electricity going through her entire body. She reached up and tried to twist her body around so that she could get more of her body in contact with his but her leg wouldn’t move right. A moment later, Wolfie had flipped her around so that he was laying on his back on the couch and she was laying on top of him, her leg extended out behind her and being supported by his. For the first time, she felt his cock and how hard he was, rubbing against her crotch and it made that electricity hotter. Instinct had her grinding her hips down against his while his hands roamed down to her ass and squeezed. 

She felt like she was on fire and the only thing she could do was hold onto Dominic. His tongue was everywhere … her lips, her neck, her ear … he even lifted her up and licked down the column of her throat. She looked down at him, seeing his dark eyes and those white fangs of his and she rushed forward to kiss him again, burning hotter as his hands came up under her shirt and she could feel his palms against her back, following the line of her body down to the waistline of her loose fitting yoga pants. He stopped at the waist and she ground her hips down harder against him, wanting to feel him everywhere. Her head was buzzing, her body was hot and when she reached down between their bodies, intent on pushing her pants down, he stopped her.

“Mia regina … my angel … my queen. I want to be your first everything … I want to be your last everything. But here on a couch while you’re still healing isn’t what you deserve.”

“Dominic Robustelli, fuck what I deserve. This is what I want.” Her voice was breathy and she couldn’t really put her thoughts together straight. 

***

He was going to die. This was going to be the moment of his death. He knew this because every single hormone he had in his body was telling him to give in and let her have what she was asking for but his brain was still coherent enough to know it was a bad idea … an epically bad idea … the kind of idea that got men killed. But fuck her body slotted perfectly against his and he could feel every grind of those strong hips of hers. He could imagine how wet she was … he wanted to know for certain … to know what she tasted like on his tongue when she came. He wanted to see her face when he was buried inside of her … to hold her hips while she rode his cock and he could cum inside of her. 

She’d managed to lean up and had settled so her pussy was right against the bulge of his cock. He looked up at her and he could see desire, want and love burning in those dark eyes of hers. Her good hand was on his chest, holding herself steady and she experimentally rolled her hips forward. His hands came out and grabbed her hips to stop her from doing that again or the last of his willpower was going to fly out the window.

“Grace. I can’t give you much. I can’t promise that I’ll be there every morning you wake up and every night when you go to bed. I can’t promise there won’t be times that I’m inside. I can’t promise shit won’t happen and that we’re always gonna be this happy in love like we are right now. But I can give you a few things. I can give you my respect, I already gave you my heart and I can give you a promise that when I finally do take you, I’m going to spend hours learning everything there is to know about your body. I can give you every experience you’d ever want. But let me give it to you somewhere more comfortable than a couch so I can bend this body of yours into a pretzel and fuck you properly.”

While he’d been talking, he’d ground his cock up against her, rolling his hips instead of hers and creating a friction between them that he knew would feel amazing if they were naked. He watched her eyes go glassy and he watched her biting her lower lip as she stared at him, jerking her hips in the small area he allowed for while he rolled his underneath her. He imagined he could feel how wet she was, how warm she’d be. He imagined the feeling of sliding inside of her for the first time … knowing he was going to hurt her but he’d make up for it with every stroke of his cock. His hips rolled faster and her breathing became erratic. She leaned forward, resting her chest against his and stared at him while he thrust upward, his cock rubbing right against her clit even through their clothes. She was sweating and panting, grinding down against him as he thrust up … moving her body faster … digging her fingers into his shoulder and never once taking her eyes off his. Even when he felt her entire body shudder and she let out a mewl that he remembered hearing that day in the gym, she held his eyes. 

“I love you, mia moglie.”

“Te amo, mio marito.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is ... here's what happened when Steve & Danno "went out"
> 
> [The Tattoo](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9332768/)


	19. Chapter 19

At breakfast the next morning, sitting at the table across from Grace and Dominic, there were far too many secretive little giggles. Danno tried to remain stoic while Steve adopted the DEFCON 3 face in an attempt to intimidate them into silence.

“Hey Danno?”

“Yes, Monkey?”

“There are certain things that a daughter really doesn’t need to know about her father. One of those things is that you know how to kiss. I’m traumatized. It may require therapy.”

“I’m very sorry, Monkey. In the future, I shall endeavor to keep my kissing to a minimum so as to not further cause you harm.”

“Don’t I get a say in this? I think this should be a democratic vote.”

“You lost the right to vote when you tore the sheets, babe.”

“Oh GROSS Dad!”

“Way to paint a visual, Danno.”

“Says the man who kissed my daughter on the most dangerous balcony in all of Oahu.”

“At least there was no destruction of property.”

“Touche, Dominic. However, let’s just all agree that there will be a mutually respectful amendment regarding the placement and noise level of kissing.”

“That’s it. I need therapy. I might need medication to overcome this kind of trauma.”

“How about I buy you a slice at Esposito’s and let you have extra pepperoni?”

“Deal! Esposito’s pizza can fix anything.”

“You’re easily bought, mia regina.”

“And that should make you very happy, mio lupo. Instead of proposing with a ring, you can bring me a bag of malasadas.”

There was silence at the table after that slip, which was once again broken by Grace.

“Uh, in all seriousness though … I wanted to ask something.”

“Yes, I’ll walk you down the aisle and give you away but no, you cannot have a purple wedding dress,” Danno said, attempting to lighten the suddenly awkwardly comfortable silence.

“That’s good to know but not what I wanted to ask.”

“What did you want to ask, ali’i?”

Grace paused for a second, thinking of how she wanted to approach this.

“As you know, I’m almost 17 and since we live so far away from Newark that there’s no telling when or how often we’ll get back here, right? I was thinking that since Uncle Fingers did Danno’s first tattoo that maybe he could do my first tattoo as well?”

Danno looked like she’d just suckerpunched him and Wolfie snorted beside her. “Danno, she didn’t say she wanted the same tattoo. Just that she wants the same guy to do her first. We were talking about it last night while you guys were out and I think she has a pretty nice idea. And I’m heading to see Fingers today anyway … he’s giving me my violet.”

Grace looked back and forth between Dad and Danno, waiting. They’d either say yes or no and she’d accept it but like Dominic had said last night, it didn’t hurt to ask.

“What did you want to get?” Danno finally managed.

“A violet, like the three of you. But I want mine on my foot so I can always be reminded that I’m rooted in Jersey.”

“You know tattoos hurt more the closer they are to bone, right? Your foot is going to hurt,” Danno replied.

“Will it hurt more than the time I busted my leg trying to pull a double Nac Nac?”

“Highly doubtful. Good point, ali’i.”

“The father in me says I should say no because you’re only 16. The realist in me says you’re a Williams and we’re known for doin things ahead of time. You get in touch with Fingers, you ask him if he’ll do it. If he’ll do it, fine. But don’t complain when your foot is healing and all you want to do is scratch.”

Grace smiled and got up to hug both Danno and her Dad, stopping short when she saw the side of her Dad’s neck. “Is that … ?”

“Yes.”

She grinned again, kissing her Dad on the top of his head. “Looks good. Aren’t you glad Danno has good penmanship?”

“What is it?” Dominic asked and Grace had a visual she couldn’t shake … she must have blushed at the thought because he arched an eyebrow at her.

“Dad got Danno’s name on his neck. Well, technically, his signature. Come look, it’s awesome.”

Dominic got up and came over to look, nodding in appreciation. “Fingers does good work. He did a bunch of mine.”

Grace rested her head against Dominic’s chest for a second before going back to her coffee. “Can I borrow your phone Danno? I don’t have Uncle Fingers in mine.”

As it turns out, Fingers didn’t have a problem with it and promised to have a sketch ready when she came by with Dominic.

***

Driving from the house towards Fingers’ place, Dominic glanced beside him at Grace. Since he’d seen the expression on her face, he’d been wondering what went through her head when she’d seen Steve’s neck. Her eyes had gone sort of wide and she’d caught her breath for a second.

“Hey Grace?”

“Yeah?”

“You okay?”

“Yeah, why?” her voice was surprised.

“You seemed a little … weird. When you saw your Dad’s new ink.”

She broke out into nervous giggles and turned to look out the window, but he could see the blush on her cheeks in the reflection.

“C’mon … you can tell me.”

She chewed her lip and, just like the very first night they’d met, she blurted out so fast it was almost impossible to make out what she said, “wasthinkingmaybeitwouldbesexytohaveyournamesomewhereonme”

Dominic almost lost control of the car he had to swallow so hard … and speaking of hard … 

“You know I’d never even consider asking you to do that.” (Inappropriate boner! How the fuck was he supposed to walk into Fingers’ place like this?)

Grace rolled her eyes so hard, he swore he could hear them. “Because you think Danno asked Dad to do that? Please, Dominic … that one was all Daddy.”

“How do you know?”

“Danno probably thought about it but he’d never ask Dad to do it. You saw what happened in Minneapolis … too much of a chance of something like that happening somewhere else so they stay pretty low-key. But Dad always likes to surprise Danno and, in case you didn’t notice, Danno’s a little possessive sometimes. So it would make sense that Dad would get that tattoo for Danno.”

“You know what that is, right?”

“Hi, have you met me? I’m Grace Williams-McGarrett, daughter of the Machine and the ‘Auana, ol’ Lady to the Jersey Wolves Packmaster. You think I don’t know what an ownership mark is?” Grace laughed as she replied. “Yes, I know what it is, Dominic. I’m not saying I’m going out tomorrow to get ‘Wolfie’ inked across my chest … I said I thought it would be sexy someday … SOME day … like in the future … way way in the future.”

“First Lady. Not just an ol’ lady Grace.”

“For now, ol’ Lady … unless you know something I don’t about what’s happening back home?” Grace was teasing him now.

“My Lady, either way.”

“Always.”

At the very least, the teasing and the banter helped his incredibly inappropriate hardon to deflate. Even if now he was thinking of his name, in script, on the back of Grace’s neck under her hair.

***

As Grace lay on the table with her foot laying flat for Fingers to work (he’d decided he was going to freehand the design instead of sketch it out because he “felt somethin”), she looked over at Dominic, who had his back turned at the moment. She admired the way he was built, strong and tall with just enough muscle to be dangerous. He wasn’t covered in tattoos like Danno or Dad (yet) but he did have a full sleeve of tattoos on his left arm, most of them scrollwork and images that suited him (like the Italian cornicello inside his elbow) and she would trace them when they lay together on the couch. She daydreamed a little, tuning out the feeling of the tattoo inking into her foot. 

She could imagine a house somewhere near Jersey Red’s, sitting outside on the lanai with him, drinking coffee and watching the sun come up together. She pictured what his violet was going to look like … maybe with her name across the top. She imagined falling asleep with him at night, the smell of pineapples and plumeria filling their bedroom. She knew she was being ridiculously romantic … he was a 1% … the chances that they’d be drinking coffee in the morning were high; as were the chances that he’d just be coming home from doing something she couldn’t know about as opposed to having woken up with her. But that was also the life they lived … and there were happy times as many as there were worrisome ones. Like having a ride out with the whole Club (and getting to ride on the back of his bike instead of riding her own didn’t hurt at all), charity work for the island, and just being together at the shop. She wondered if they would get married … picturing Danno and Dad’s wedding brought a smile to her face. In true fashion, they’d done it their own way by having Chin do the traditional Hawaiian blessing while they wore their full leathers and the whole Club had done a ride with blue bows on their bikes. There’d been so many people at the ceremony, not just Club but other people who knew Dad from when he grew up on the island and people that Danno had gotten to know through the garage and the Kame school. She wondered how many people would come to their wedding … if they had one.

“You’re far away, mia regina.” Wolfie’s voice interrupted her daydream. She opened her eyes and saw him standing behind her head; she smiled upside down at him.

“Just daydreaming,” she replied.

“What’cha daydreamin’ about? Going home?” He came around the side of the table and crouched down so they were eye-level.

“Something like that, yeah. How’s it looking?”

“Looks great actually. I think you’re gonna love it.”

“You better love it. I think this is some of my best work!” Fingers said, never moving his eye from the side of her foot. She could feel the buzz more towards her heel and wondered what he was doing. “I’m just about done with this part, then we do the shadin’ part. No cryin on my table, Gracie.”

“Got it Uncle. No crying. You hear that Dominic … you can’t cry.” She teased him and he laughed.

“I’ll do my best.”

“Don’t tell your father I told you but the night I did his knuckles, there was a few tears down towards the pinkie.”

Grace giggled, picturing her Danno trying to hold still for his hand to get inked up. 

“Yeah, things I ain’t lookin forward to. Everyone keeps tellin me the pinkie hurts the most.”

“I’ll go easy on ya, kid. As a favor to my Gracie here,” Fingers said, grinning.

It took about another hour (no tears, thank you very much) and finally her first tattoo was done. She’d drifted off at one point and it was Dominic whispering in her ear that woke her up. He helped her to sit up so she could see her foot and that was when she started crying.

At her heel, a vine started and it worked along the side of her foot near the sole before curling up around her ankle and finally coming to a violet blossom on the top of her foot that somehow Fingers had shaded so that it looked like it was cut from metal. She eased down from the table and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tight. “This is way better than anything I could have dreamed of. Thank you SO much, Uncle! I love it!”

He was laughing as he hugged her and kissed the top of her forehead. “I can’t believe you fell asleep, to be honest Gracie. Always knew you were made of tough stuff but of everyone I’ve had on that table, you’re the only one that’s ever fallen asleep. I’m glad ya like it.”

She beamed and looked over at Wolfie, grinning. “What do you think?”

“I think you’re some kind of weirdo for falling asleep while he was inking your heel but the end result is fuckin’ beautiful, regina.”

She rolled her eyes at him and grinned. “When you have a compound fracture of your left leg at 13, you come talk to me about being weird about pain.”

“Shit, no thanks. I’ve never broken a bone and I don’t plan on startin any time soon.”

“Does that mean I’m gonna be the one in this relationship with all the scars?” Grace teased.

The dark look that crossed over Dominic’s face made her sorry she’d been so flippant. “Never, Grace. If I have any say in it, you’ll never have another scar again.”

She walked the few steps over to him, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head against his chest. “I know, mio lupo. I’m always safe with you.” His arms wrapped around her shoulders and he squeezed her tight before leaning down to steal a chaste kiss.

“Yes you are. Now let me get this chest piece done and maybe we can convince Danno to buy Esposito’s.”

***

“Yanno, I know we said we weren’t gonna be that matchy couple but … I think Fingers cheated,” Grace commented 2 hours later as they were getting into the car. 

“Yeah, I noticed that too.” Dominic replied, smiling as he took her knuckles in his hand and kissed them.

The violet on Dominic’s chest was an exact match to the one on Grace’s foot.  



	20. Chapter 20

Finally Grace had the clearance to fly home. They’d left Hawaii in mid June and they were creeping up on August by the time she’d healed enough to fly all the way home. She still hobbled some but she could walk a little further every day and she’d started physical therapy already in Newark for both her arm and her leg. She decided physical therapists were all sadists and she’d take training with her motocross coach over PT every day. 

The Wolves had flown ahead a few weeks earlier so it was just Dominic, Grace, Danno, and Steve. She was anxious to get back to Hawaii, to get home to her family. Admittedly, the time in Newark that she’d spent with the Williamses hadn’t been bad and she was learning to like them, especially her Aunt Stella. And her grandparents (God that was still weird to say) were nice and they all tried to get to know each other, but sometimes Clara could be a little overwhelming … Danno said she was overcompensating for having missed the first 16 years and she’d calm down eventually. Grace was looking forward to the eventually. 

The Machine had given them an Honor Guard ride to the airport, accompanying Grace and Dominic in the car while Danno and Dad rode their bikes. There’d been a send off party the night before and Grace’s face still hurt from laughing and smiling with her first family. Uncle Fingers had entirely too much fun pointing out to Danno that Grace had fallen asleep during her first tattoo. Danno remained mute on the subject of his first tattoo but Grace giggled to herself and hugged him, claiming it was the McGarrett in her that put her to sleep. The plane was just taxing into Honolulu when Dominic whispered in her ear to wake her up … she’d fallen asleep somewhere over Kansas tucked up against Dominic’s side in the comfortable first class seats. 

“Wake up, beautiful. We’re almost home.”

“No. S’nice here.” She snuggled a bit closer to him and pressed her face against his chest, kissing where she knew his violet was under his shirt. 

“I’d keep you there forever, like my own personal leech, but that might prove awkward when I have to get on my bike or, yanno, eat.”

“You keep telling me how tiny I am. Eat around me.”

He leaned down so no one else could hear them, his mouth barely a breath away from her ear. “Give me time and I’ll eat you til you’re screaming but for now, you gotta wake up.”

Grace’s insides turned liquid and she turned her head up towards him. “Saying things like that is NOT the way to get me further away from you, Dominic Robustelli the Third.”

He kissed her quickly and winked. “I know, but at least now I know you’re awake.”

“You’re an ass sometimes.”

“Yeah, but I’m your pain in the ass and I already know you love me.”

Grace smiled and leaned up to kiss his cheek. “Always.”

***

The welcome home was perfect with Uncle Chin and Aunt Malia, Kono, Gutches and the Wolves all greeting them at the airport. Grace had opted for riding in a wheelchair instead of trying to walk with all the tourists jostling around and she’d had to wait until everyone else was off the plane before she could hobble out so the baggage claim area was fairly clear by the time they got there. There were hugs and kisses and leis for everyone and she wasn’t even sure who was pushing her chair right now because everyone was talking all at once. She could see Dominic because he was easily the tallest person of their group and when she leaned her head back, it was Uncle Chin pushing her. Her happy bubble wobbled a little as the memory that she still had to sit down with him and take her punishment from the Club for what happened in Minneapolis but he smiled down at her.

“Don’t worry Grace. Today is about celebrating your safe return to the island. Malia and I will talk to you tomorrow, alright?”

She nodded and smiled up at him. He didn’t seem angry at her (although you could never tell with Uncle Chin … he was always so zen) and she reached back with her good arm to pat his hand on the handle. “Thanks Uncle.”

***

They were all gathered at Chin’s house and Kame had offered to cater the party so they was food absolutely everywhere. Dominic spent most of his time talking with other members of the Club and Grace was never far from his side. There was a subtle shift in the way people were treating the both of them, but specifically Grace; she’d always been seen as the Club’s little girl or as Danno Williams’ daughter but tonight members were going out of their way to treat her like his woman. But even more than that, she was being afforded what appeared to be the same respect a First Lady would get from a partner club. He noticed throughout the evening that when she needed to sit down, several ol ladies of Club members would make sure to clear a chair or a bench for her and several prospects had made sure to bring her drinks or food. She was always genuinely grateful and surprised that anyone was making a big deal over her, something that made him even more proud of her. 

He also noticed that as the night went on, she was leaning against him a little bit heavier whenever he was talking with someone or as they were walking around. He checked in with her a few times and she smiled, shaking her head. 

“I’m fine, mio Lupo. I’ll just sit down again in a minute.”

Finally, just as he was finishing a conversation with a guy who wanted some custom work done on his bike, Grace tapped his arm and he turned to look at her. Sometime in the last 30 minutes, she’d gone from smiling to having a light sweat breaking out on her forehead and there was a definite strain in her smile. 

“Think you can help me over to Danno or Dad and ask if they can take me home? I don’t think I can make it on my own,” her voice showed her strain as she asked. Immediately he swept her up into his arms, being careful of her elbow, and looked over the heads of everyone for Steve. Once he found him, he made his way through the crowd and found him next to Danno and Chin.

“Hey guys, Grace might’ve overdone it a little. Do you want me to bring her home or can one of you take her?”

“You okay, Monkey?” Danno was immediately right next to him, brushing his hand over Grace’s forehead. She managed a smile, but it was tight and you could tell she was fighting her way through the pain.

“I was okay until about 20 minutes ago. I did everything the therapist suggested, sat down when I started to feel a twinge or at least once every hour. Everyone’s been really great about helping me to find a seat but I think all the flying and the walking is just getting to me. I need to lay down and I’m real tired.”

“Why don’t you bring her upstairs, Dominic. She can stay here tonight and then you can come pick her back up tomorrow afternoon to bring her home. I know Malia wanted to talk with Grace in the morning,” Chin suggested and Dominic looked at Grace, who nodded.

“Sleep good, ali’i. I love you,” Steve said, kissing her forehead.

“Make sure your wolf checks for monsters in the bed, Monkey,” Danno said, laughing. He felt Grace giggle tiredly in his arms before she answered, “especially in the closets since that’s where they always hid from you, Danno.”

Chin opened the door and Dominic carried her upstairs to “his” bedroom (at least, it was the bedroom he used whenever he stayed at Chin’s house), pulled the sheets down and lay Grace down. He snuck into another spare room and gathered up a few extra pillows to put under her leg, knowing the elevation would help and then made his way to the other side of the bed, stretching out beside her. Immediately, she snuggled herself against his chest and as he lay his hand on her stomach, she laced her fingers through his.

“Thank you, Wolfie. I’m good if you need to go back downstairs and be all Presidential,” she teased gently.

“So you noticed too, huh?”

“It’s hard to miss. People are giving you respect and treating you like they treat Uncle Chin or Danno, a man of position. And you deserve it, you’ve worked hard for it. Being Packmaster of the Jersey Wolves puts you on the same level as Uncle Chin anyway, just a smaller scale and I’m glad that’s being recognized. I’ll be okay up here, I promise. You don’t have to stay.”

He leaned his head back to look down at her and saw the earnestness on her face. She really was proud of him and believed in him. He grinned at her and wrapped his fingers through hers a little more tightly.

“I don’t have to stay, you’re right. But I’m choosing to stick around and make sure you don’t get up and hike 10 miles as soon as my back is turned,” he teased her, feeling her laugh in his arms. He loved that sound.

“Oh yeah, that’s me. I’m totally faking the gimp leg and as soon as no one is looking I’m headed straight for Diamond Head. I’m just using the limp as a tool in my evil plot to overthrow the government and install myself as Grace, the Gimp Queen of Hawaii.” Her laughter was cheerful and he joined her.

“Oh Great Gimpy Grace, the Queen. Now that I’m onto your plan, do I get a part in it?”

She tilted her head under his chin so he was forced to lean back and look into her dark eyes. They were shining with her laughter but also commitment and love. “You always had a part. You’re the Queen’s Wolf King. Watching my back while I watch yours.”

He leaned down and kissed her gently. “I will always protect you, mia regina.”

She smiled and laid her head back down on the pillow, her eyes rapidly closing as exhaustion took over. “Never worried you wouldn’t. Always my wolf.”

He stroked her hair, fanning it out behind her and realizing exactly how long it had gotten since the beginning of the summer. Easily, her hair reached the top of her hips and would be a ratted mess in the morning. He’d seen Steve braid her hair a million times over the years so he gathered up the strands and did his best to weave them together for her. He was doing a pretty decent job, he thought, when he heard a deep voice clearing their throat by the door. Looking up, he saw Danno and Steve. 

“We just wanted to check on her, make sure she was resting and see if she needed a pill. Looks like she’s out on her own, which is good. Did you elevate her leg?” Danno asked.

“Yep. Stole a couple pillows from the other room. Now I was trying to braid her hair so it’s not a disaster in the morning but I don’t know how good a job I’m doing here. It’s all a bit … sideways.”

Steve chuckled quietly and walked over, handing him a small elastic. “You did a fine job. Just put that at the bottom and it’ll hold for the night.”

Dominic, Steve, and Danno all kissed her goodnight one more time before heading back downstairs to the party. 

***

Grace’s eyes opened and she looked around, recognizing Uncle Chin’s house. She remembered Dominic bringing her upstairs and putting her to bed last night and she smiled. A knock at the door a moment later and Malia was entering the room.

“How are you feeling, Grace? I came up to see if you needed any help getting up or into the shower.”

“Not sure yet. Let’s see.” Grace threw back the covers, looking at her legs. The bad one seemed a little swollen but not terribly and there wasn’t much of an ache either. She swung her legs down onto the floor and carefully, she pushed herself up onto her good leg. Once she was up, she gently began to ease weight onto her bad leg and discovered it didn’t buckle. “Think I’m good, Auntie.”

“Alright, well why don’t you take a quick shower and change. Danno had these brought over last night for you and then you can come down and have coffee on the lanai with me?” Malia made it sound like an invitation but Grace knew better. It was time to face the music.

“Sure thing, just gimme a few minutes.” She forced a smile on her lips even as she felt her belly fall down to her toes. 

“Take your time, Grace. Everything’s fine … we’re just going to talk, honey. Just like we always have.” Malia reached out and hugged her, patting her back gently.

She laid Grace’s clothes on the bed and slipped out of the room, leaving Grace to shower and get dressed. Neither took very long (too many years spent living with Dad had given her the Navy shower habit. Danno believed this was also a ruination of her cultural heritage as a Williams) and she was walking out onto the lanai with a cup of coffee all too soon.

Malia was alone, which surprised Grace. She’d expected it to be both Uncle Chin and Malia but she also knew that it didn’t necessarily mean Uncle Chin wouldn’t be joining them later. 

“Grace, before I say anything else, I want you to know how proud I am of you. I’ve watched you grow up from a little girl in pigtails to a fine young woman. You have always carried yourself with, if you’ll pardon the pun, grace and integrity and I think that’s part of the reason your fathers have always allowed you more freedoms than other kids. You’ve earned them with your behavior and your maturity. We all love you, Grace and we’re all very VERY glad that you’re still here, no matter what had to be done in order to insure that, you understand?”

Grace listened, her eyes already growing wet with tears as Malia heaped praise on her. “I understand. I’m glad I’m here too … I just wish the whole thing had never happened. I should have just stayed on the island.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Grace. You have a talent and a career ahead of you. You went where that talent took you, which is what we all expected you to do. What happened with the other Club was a black mark against them, not you. Their intolerance is not your fault.”

“I almost started a war, Auntie.”

“No. You protected yourself. You did what any young woman your age should know how to do. Not a single member of ‘Auana believes that you did anything out of line as far as that’s concerned.”

Grace was confused. Danno and Dad had told her there would be a punishment from the Club for what happened but here Malia was telling her no one blamed her for it? Her confusion must have shown on her face because Malia reached over and took her hand.

“No one wants you to think you did anything wrong as far as that piece of shit you stabbed is concerned, because you didn’t. And no one from ‘Auana or your Wolves was hurt and no charges were filed. That’s a win in this life and you know that. However, there is some concern about your behavior setting a bad example for other women in the Club. You have a place now, same as I do. There may not be any ol’ ladies in your Club yet but once there are, it’ll be your job to set the example for how they behave.”

Now Grace was really confused. “My Club? Auntie, I don’t have a Club.”

“Grace, you’re with Dominic. He’s Packmaster for the Jersey Wolves, which automatically makes you a First Lady of HIS branch of the Club.” Malia was looking at her like she should have known this. Grace was dumbfounded and her head was spinning. 

Sure, she and Dominic were together and everyone knew that and he was the head of the Jersey Wolves, just like Chin was head of the ‘Auana but did that automatically make Grace the First Lady? Technically, wasn’t that still Malia? 

“It’s a pretty big responsibility to wrap your brain around, huh? I realized last night that you hadn’t registered it with the way you seemed so surprised that the Pups were making a big deal over you.” The Pups were what Dominic called his Prospects, just as his patched Brothers were Wolves. “When the Wolves came back to the island, they let everyone know that you and Dominic had finally made things official as far as your relationship was concerned. So, by default, you become First Lady … or Den Mother, if you prefer to keep it with the wolf references.” Malia smiled, teasing her a bit.

Grace blushed right to the roots of her hair. She was almost 17, barely an adult and people were thinking of her like a First Lady? How was that even possible?

“I don’t understand, Auntie. I mean, ok I understand me n’ Dominic being together but … I mean, we’re not married. I’m still in school! And I wanted to go to college!”

“What’s to understand? You’ll finish high school, go to college, get your degree and still be First Lady. That doesn’t change unless you and Dominic change. It’s no different from what I did, back when I first met Chin.”

Grace looked at her, stunned. “Really?”

Malia laughed and the sound rang across the whole yard. “I met Chin Ho Kelly when I was about your age. Unlike you, however, I wanted no part of him or his lifestyle. He pursued me from the MINUTE I turned 18 and romanced me. He sent 6 dozen roses to my high school graduation and I’m pretty sure he put a tail on me when I was at college, although he’s never admitted it. Every weekend that I was at school, he’d be there asking me out. Finally, after 2 months, I gave in and let him take me out. We’ve been together ever since. He was right there with me through college, med school, residency … everything. And when Jack McGarrett died and Chin became President, I didn’t know what the hell I was doing.

“All of a sudden, I was First Lady and I had no one to talk to. No one to answer questions or tell me if what I was doing was right or wrong. But, just like working in the ER at a hospital, I winged it and figured it out. Sure, I made a few mistakes but overall, I think I’ve at least got the hang of it. And you will too, if that’s what you want and that’s the life you’re going to follow. And I’ll be here for you to help when you need it. But you have to understand the responsibility we have.”

Grace absorbed all the information, her head still in a daze. She’d never really thought about it but technically Malia was right. The Jersey Wolves were their own club with their own prospects, so it stood to reason they’d have their own First Lady. Grace had known that’s where Dominic was headed … but she’d always thought of it as being something in the future … after Uncle Chin stepped down and Danno stepped down. Not right now, when she was just starting her last year of school. 

“We support our men, Grace. We comfort them, we represent them. When the time comes and you and Dominic are living together, you would be the host for any parties like the one we had last night. If an ol’ lady steps out of line from your Club, it’s your job to put her back in line if her ol’ man isn’t around to do so. You lead by example in how to treat your man. So you running away in Minneapolis … not such a great example. But we also understand why that happened and that you aren’t usually so irresponsible. If other Clubs come to Oahu, you and I will be responsible for welcoming them, just like I welcomed you and Danno when you first moved here. Our men may be the muscle, but we’re the bone that supports it. We’re the structure that enables them to be Club. You never want to embarrass Dominic through your actions anymore than you’d want to embarrass Danno. We know that but felt it was important you realize your place in the Club now.”

“I didn’t mean to run away. I really just meant to ride for a while and clear my head. I was hurt that they’d lied to me but, looking back on it, I realize why they did. It still hurts but at least now I know why. It was because they love me and didn’t want me to carry another burden.”

“And there are burdens to come Grace. We keep secrets, we treat wounds, we bear the brunt of the lifestyle when our men go inside. If Dominic winds up going to Halawa, or anywhere else, we’ll be here to help you get through it. He can tell you about what his hierarchy is but I’m sure Freckles would be the one to step up as interim President. But you would still be First Lady, even if Freckles has a woman. And that means, you have to be strong. If another member goes inside, it’s our job to comfort their partner and make sure the Club cares for them. Do you remember when Meka went inside for that year long stretch?”

“Yeah. I remember Amy was so upset but you made sure that she stayed with someone the whole year and that she had people sending food and watching Ben so she could go see him.”

“Exactly. And that’s what you’ll do for any of the partners in your Club.”

“I didn’t realize how big a job you do, Auntie.”

“It’s important. Because I love my Lazy Chin and I always want him to look his best in front of everyone. Do you think you’re up for it, Grace? Because now is your time to really know what’s expected of you and measure if you have what it takes.”

Grace looked at Malia, thinking. She thought about all the things Malia had ever done for everyone … all the things that she made seem easy. Could she do it? Could she do the same things and make Danno and Dad and Dominic proud of her?

“I want to support him. I want him to succeed. I want to help the Club succeed. I love him, Auntie and I love all my Wolves. So I’ll do whatever I have to do in order to keep them safe and cared for.”

Grace’s chest opened up a little bit with the admission and she managed her first real smile of the day. She was his and he was hers. 


	21. Chapter 21

It seemed like the rest of the year flew by for Grace. Yes, she was escorted everywhere and sometimes, it grated on her nerve but she bore it with the same kind of strength that she’d imagined she’d have to have once she was fully embroiled in the Club lifestyle. She had physical therapy three times a week and, by the time her birthday rolled around, she could manage to sit on a bike instead of having to be in a car. And she definitely appreciated that when Dominic took her home from her birthday party, he took the long way and let her enjoy the freedom of being on a bike again. (She also enjoyed stopping at the lookout and making out with him but we’re not telling Danno or Dad that)

The Wolves all treated her with the same teasing respect they always had but also seemed more aware of the shift in her position. There was less punching and treating her like a little sister, especially around the Pups. Shiny took great pride in giving her a patch for her vest that read “DEN MOTHER”, for which she was never going to forgive him because the name stuck. When asked why she couldn’t be something cool like “Wolf Queen” or something, she was informed that it was for naming them the Wolves in the first place and inflating Dominic’s ego all those years ago. She threw a paperclip at him for that one. 

Christmas brought an easement of her punishment and she was allowed to ride her own bike, provided she was still in the company of Dominic or one of her fathers. The first time she swung her leg over her Fatboy, she almost cried. The rumble of the engine calmed her and she loved being free on her own ride. Christmas also brought the first time she was really put into First Lady role. Malia had called her just before Halloween and invited her to come by so they could start to plan the Christmas get together for the Club. When she arrived at Malia’s house, they sat down and Malia walked her through the planning and showed her how to organize a group as large as theirs. 

“Always utilize your available skills and talent. Learn about who is in your Club and what they are good at, it helps the feeling of family to be included. For example, I know Amy Hanamoa is excellent at finding a good pig for the emu to make lau-lau and Renee Grover makes the best red velvet cupcakes you’ll ever eat in your life. I’m going to take care of the booze and you are going to take care of the lasagna. Last year, we went through 4 pans so go ahead and make 5 pans this year. It’s always a good idea to keep count of your members and assume for at least 25% more for hangers on and new girlfriends.”

Grace was furiously writing notes and absorbing as much as she could. When she heard she was responsible for the lasagna, she actually smiled. “I can ask Danno’s Mom for her recipe. Danno’s always going on about how awesome hers is.”

Malia smiled. “See, I know about Danno’s obsession and thought you would be the perfect person to get it. That’s how it works.”

Over the next month, Malia and Grace spent a lot of time together planning the Christmas party and Grace was learning a lot about what a First Lady does. During their planning, a member of ‘Auana was arrested and Malia made sure to contact Grace to bring her along to comfort the woman. Grace made a pan of shells to bring over and Malia smiled. “See, you’re already intuitive about it.” Malia held up her own garlic shrimp. They sat with Helen for a few hours and she was extremely grateful to both Grace and Malia for coming by. It wasn’t the first time her man had gone inside but this time, it looked like he might go in for a while. Malia made sure Helen knew that if she needed anything at all, the Club would be there for her and Grace made sure she knew that included the Wolves, giving Helen her number as well.

Malia hugged her on the way out. “You are a fine young lady, Grace Williams. A fine young lady.”

Grace blinked a little tear back and smiled. “I had good examples to live up to, Auntie.”

***

The day of the Christmas get together was upon them. Grace had delivered the 6 pans of lasagna (okay, so she got a little over excited) earlier in the day and then come home to get dressed for the party. Dominic was picking her up to bring her to the party and they were riding in his new car instead of the bike, just in case her leg gave her trouble. 

She’d chosen a red dress over pants and a blouse and when she looked in the mirror, she smiled. The dress came down to just above her knees and was fitted enough to be sexy but still what Dad had called “age appropriate”. She wore red ballet flats to match the dress and even made a swipe of shiny, clear lipgloss on her lips. Deciding what to do with her hair had been a struggle but finally she decided that she would pull it up into a twist instead of her typical braid. This was, in a way, her debut as the First Lady of the Jersey Wolves and she wanted to do Dominic proud and appear mature and collected. When she came down the stairs to the living room, both Danno and Dad stopped and stared.

After a few minutes, she got nervous and looked down at her dress. “What? Is it too much? Should I change?”

Immediately both Danno and Dad came over and hugged her close. 

“No, Monkey. You look absolutely beautiful and perfect. It’s just hard for me to look at you and not see you in pigtails and covered in engine grease. I’m so proud of you, Grace. Incredibly proud.”

“Ali’i, you look like the Queen I’ve always said you are. You’re going to make Dominic very proud tonight, just like you’ve always made us proud.”

“You’re also going to make Dominic have to carry an extra baseball bat to keep people from staring, mia regina. _Tu sei la donna più bella che abbia mai visto._ ” Dominic said from behind her and she smiled as she turned around, catching the look of awe on his face. “ _Come sono stato così fortunato ad avere una bellezza come te nella mia vita?_ ”

“English, babe. Remember, in this house we speak English,” Danno teased, referencing the common Hawaiian conversations that occur around him.

“Sorry. It’s just … I don’t think English does justice to how proud I am to have a woman like you, Grace. You’re beautiful,” Dominic said, coming closer to embrace her and kiss her cheek. Grace flushed pink under the praise, leaning into his embrace and breathing in the familiar scent of pine and gunpowder. 

“Are you guys coming soon?” Grace asked as she turned towards her fathers. 

“Yeah, we’ll be along a few minutes behind you. Danno still has to do his hair and make himself all pretty,” Dad teased and winced when Danno whacked him.

“My hair is my art, babe. It’s how people identify me. What am I if I don’t have perfect hair?”

“The most badass VP in the world?” Dad teased.

“C’mon Dominic. Those two’ll be at it all night.” Grace slipped her arm through her Wolf’s and they headed off towards the party.

***

Seeing her in that dress made every inappropriate thought he’d ever had about Grace suddenly rush to the forefront of his mind. He wanted to skip the party entirely, take his woman home and mark every inch of her body as his so no one would ever think she wasn’t loved. Danno must have seen the thought cross his mind because he stared daggers at Dominic until he shook his head to clear the idea out … or at least push it towards the back of his mind instead of the front. 

For a moment, he even forgot how to speak English, telling Grace she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen and wondering how he’d gotten so lucky to have her. Her face lit up pink and made her even more beautiful as he hugged her close. This was his woman … the First Lady of his Club and tonight, everyone would know. His mind cast back to the conversation Chin, Danno, and Steve had with him when they’d first gotten back from Newark. 

_They had shown up at his door early in the morning and had brought coffee. They sat outside and Chin hadn’t wasted any time._

_“Dominic, you know Grace is at my house and Malia is talking with her an we wanted to speak with you. Grace has been our little girl for 8 years here on Oahu and sometimes, it’s hard to transition that from little girl to young woman but we all knew it would happen someday. And every one of us, both from a Club level and Ohana, are glad that you and she are together.”_

_“I said to you when we were still in Minneapolis and I’ll say it again. You’re the kind of guy I’d be glad to have as family, not just Ohana. We trusted you with our daughter and you have always protected her and treated her with respect. That’s something every one of us appreciates, don’t ever think we don’t. You’re as much my son now as she is my daughter,” Steve had said and Dominic was beyond words with pride._

_“However, you’ve also put her into a precarious situation that we don’t think she’s aware of,” Danno started._

_“Being First Lady to the Wolves. Yeah, she doesn’t see it yet but I saw it last night with the Pups and some of the women in ‘Auana. I assumed that’s what Malia is talking to her about this morning,” Dominic replied._

_“Exactly. We accept that’s her choice to be with you but I’m expecting you to remember that she’s still 17. She’s finishing school and then she already has early acceptance to UH. President or not, I’m not going to let you interfere with that Dominic. Grace is destined for some truly great things and I want to see her achieve them,” Danno stated, firm look on his face._

_“I would never stop her, guys. Everything she accomplishes, every award she wins and every success she has makes her all the more beautiful to me. I never thought I’d have an ol’ lady, let alone be in a position to have a First Lady and my own branch Club but, I hit the lottery with Grace. I love how smart she is, how determined she is. She watches my back and I watch hers and together, we’ll watch over our Pack so they are always a tribute and asset to the ‘Auana. I want to see Grace graduate with her degree in whatever she wants to do. I love when she’s shoulders deep in an engine and she gets all bossy about anyone touching her tools. I love when she’s so excited about something, she starts speaking pidgin. She’s my woman … someday, my wife I hope. I will never stand in her way … as SEAL over there reminded me once, a long time ago … she can kick my ass if need be and Kame’s sharks are always hungry.” Dominic smiled, hoping to set their minds at ease._

_“You have never given us a reason to think otherwise. Your Pack is an asset and you’ve earned every bit of respect that is offered to you. We just wanted to make sure you were aware that is how she’s being seen now and that will put her into a precarious position with people who think she’s too young or people that want to hurt you through her. And to make sure you know the asset is a two way street … the ‘Auana will always protect your woman just as you have protected ours. Malia is going to start involving Grace more into the events and lifestyle of being a First Lady, if that’s alright with you,” Chin inquired._

_For a moment Dominic didn’t realize he was asking him. He was so used to Danno and Steve being the ones to answer for Grace that it took him a second before he nodded his head. “Wow. That’s a new one. Yes, of course.”_

_He heard Danno chuckle before he spoke, “Kid, you have no idea. Letting go of my little girl is hard but I know I’m entrusting her to the best man for the job.”_

_He stood up and Dominic followed his lead, being embraced by first Danno and then Steve with a handshake from Chin._

“You’re far away, my Wolf,” Grace’s voice interrupted his thoughts and he shook his head, smiling as he turned towards her. 

“Was just thinking about how lucky I am to have you, Grace. How proud I am to have you as my woman and how lucky the Wolves are to have such a strong, smart and beautiful woman as their Den Mother.” He leaned across the console to kiss her gently on her cheek, feeling the blush that heated up her skin.

“I’m the lucky one, Wolfie. I found the man I was meant to be with forever early enough in my life that I get every moment with you. All my firsts, my lasts and all the in betweens. I get another family with the Wolves, on top of the Machine and the ‘Auana. I fell in love with a man who understands the lifestyle I was raised in and isn’t a throwback idiot that wants me to just be a pretty decoration on his arm. You encourage me to pursue my dreams … Our Wolves encourage me to pursue my dreams. You and I both know how rare that is in our type of Club. I know it’s not always going to be Christmas parties and sunshine. Someday, you’ll earn your knuckles and I’ll have to be here waiting for you but I know our Wolves will take care of me, just like we’ll take care of them. There will be nights you aren’t in bed and mornings that the blood will have to be washed out of your clothes. I know who I’m with, Dominic. I know the life we lead. I know the dangers that come with it, both to me and to you. But as long as you have my back, I have yours.”

Dominic had to blink several times because his car had become very dusty all of a sudden at the power behind her words and the look in her eye. This was his woman, his strength and his future. 

“I love you, Dominic. No boundaries,” she finished before leaning across the console and taking his face in her hands, holding him so she could look him in the eye. “Always, Dominic. I will always be your Grace.” 

She kissed him and he felt every word she’d uttered carve itself into his heart. He leaned forward, so they were both twisted around the console in the most uncomfortable position his body had known since the day he fell asleep in her hospital bed but he couldn’t stop himself. His hands were on her shoulders, thumbs making circles at her clavicle while her hands remained on his face; their kiss deepening as she licked at his mouth and he opened for her, tasting her tongue as it slid into his mouth. He groaned, feeling his cock get harder with every second he touched her but he couldn’t stop either. The breathy moans she made when his fang caught on her lip, the heat of her mouth, the feeling of her hand on his chest, fingernail tracing his violet … all of it was making his brain fuzz out and he wanted to take her home. Fuck the party, fuck the lasagna, fuck everyone. He wanted his woman in his arms and watch her cumming all over his cock.

When she leaned back, breaking the kiss, he actually followed her for a moment to try and keep the kiss going. He opened his eyes and looked at her, seeing the need in her eyes and the flush to her face. Her lips were swollen and slick from his kisses and her eyes were completely black, not a hint of iris. She looked like a woman who needed to be bedded and for a moment, he allowed himself to think that’s what he was going to do as he put the key to the ignition. His thoughts were interrupted when she spoke.

“I want you Dominic. I want you so fucking bad, it hurts sometimes. But we have responsibilities and if we don’t show up for that party, there are going to be a lot of very upset people with us, not the least of which being my Dad and Danno. I would never embarrass you but I don’t want to disrespect them either. There’s time for us, I know there is. It’s just not right this second.”

His brain cleared a little and he chuckled. “See … you’re the smarts in this relationship. Just another thing to love about you.”

“Just wait until you get a taste of what I’m going to feed you.” 

His eyes slid over to Grace and he saw the dirty smile on her lips. He laughed along with her at the double entendre.

“I’ll eat everything you give me, mia regina. And make sure to sing it’s praises … repeatedly.”

***

It was almost a surreal experience when she arrived at the party. These were people she had known for the majority of her life and while they still treated her the same as they always had, there was a tone of respect that seemed to be emphasized. The men she’d thought of as Uncles were seeing her as a woman in her own right and it made her smile even brighter with every handshake offered to Dominic and hug offered to Grace. The women that had been her Aunties continued to be, but there was an air of deference. She was still Grace, but now she was Grace, First Lady of the Jersey Wolves instead of Grace, Danno’s daughter. She was included more as a woman than as a child and it felt good. 

She spent the night mingling, keeping an eye on where Dominic was in case he needed her. Occasionally she still had to sit down and whenever she did, Dominic would magically appear by her side to check on her. She giggled at the third time it happened. 

“You have the Pups keeping an eye on me, don’t you?”

“What if I am?” he teased.

“I love you. But this is a night for you to make connections as a President in your own right, not worry about me.”

“I always worry about you. And all of the people here know me already and our Wolves. You’re my woman … all the people here would string me up and use me as a pinata if I allowed you to hurt without taking care of you.”

“Actually, they’d probably put you in the imu. You know they call humans “long pig”, right?”

“… and that’s supposed to comfort me?”

“Nope. Just making sure you know they don’t string people up. It’d get messy and we like our island clean and neat.” Grace winked at him and leaned her head on his shoulder. “Honestly, I’m fine. I just needed a minute and now I’m ready to get up. So why don’t you and I wander around for a bit and make sure everyone knows you’re taking good care of me.”

Dominic stood up and offered her his hand to help her up. She stood and smiled brightly, lacing her fingers with his as they walked around the Clubhouse. She made sure to compliment all the women who’d brought a dish or helped with putting the party together and quietly supported Dominic as he spoke with other members about their bikes. A few times, when a question came up about an engine, he’d ask her and she swelled with pride. She knew her place … First Ladies were usually decorative when it came to conversations between the men but that Dominic respected her opinion and actively sought it out made her heart burst that much more. And that the men who’d asked took her advice was just the icing on her cupcake.

They were speaking with a relatively newish member of the ‘Auana named Gary about his Fatboy when Dominic asked about how she’d traded out her original engine for the fuel injected system. Even before she opened her mouth, she saw the shock on Gary’s face. He’d only been with the Club for less than a year, having come from the big island, and didn’t know about her history or who she was. By the time she’d finished telling him, he was hanging on every word.

“Your woman’s a genius, Wolf.”

“Yep. Her father owns Jersey Red’s so she’s grown up around bikes and engines. She’s going to UH next year for Automotive Engineering and she used to race motocross. I’m the luckiest son of a bitch this side of the world.” Dominic put his arm around her shoulders and held her close. She blushed at the praise.

“Motocross huh? My boy’s been asking about doing some dirtbiking but I haven’t found a place. Where’d you ride?”

“I’d be glad to take a ride up and introduce you and your son to Uncle Mamo. He taught me everything and got me to the X Games last summer. Just let Dominic know a time that’s good for you and we can arrange it.” She smiled at him. 

“I’d like that. Dominic, I’ll be in touch and we can work something out. My boy’s been obsessed with motocross for a couple years now. He’s around here somewhere … probably running around with the kids outside.”

“I’d love to meet him. If he comes back in, feel free to come find us.” Grace offered as Dominic shook Gary’s hand and they stepped away.

“You are so damn sexy when you’re like this,” Dominic whispered in her ear.

“Like what?” Grace blinked up at him, even with her insides going electric at the comment.

“Making me look good. Making the Wolves look good with your graciousness.”

Grace laughed and leaned up on her tip toes to kiss his chin. “Making you look good is my job and it isn’t hard to do. You charm them and I’ll intimidate the with my Gimpiness.”

Dominic laughed so hard he had to bend over and soon Grace joined in, laughing so hard they couldn’t make any noise. Freckles and Tech came wandering past and stared at them but Grace couldn’t stop laughing. The expressions on their faces only made it funnier. 

“Think we should do something about ‘em?”

“Ice bucket of water might help,” Tech offered and Dominic was waving his hand no and trying to glare. That only set Grace off even harder, which drew the attention of a few other Wolves. Now they were all standing around, watching Dominic and Grace laughing so hard tears were running down her face.

“Ya think he finally told her about his panty collection?”

“Think she finally told him she lies when she tells him he’s the better mechanic?”

“I’m going with someone gassed up with that stuff they give you at the dentist.”

“We should probably separate them. They’re totally useless right now,” Shakespeare offered up and even Grace managed a scowl. Their laughter was dying down and Grace was wiping at her face before someone offered her a tissue. 

“Care to share what was so funny?” Freckles asked.

“I’m the Gimp Queen and he’s my Wolf Charming,” Grace deadpanned, which set Dominic off again and left the Wolves looking very confused. Freckles opened his mouth like he was going to say something and then closed it again several times, shaking his head each time.

“You two are nuts. Our Pack is being run by a coupla nutballs. We’re so fucked,” Tech said teasingly.

“Careful, she can probably still kick your ass, even in a dress.” Shiny warned before going off to find his date for the night. Things with the guy at the beach had gotten pretty serious and Grace suspected he’d be introduced to Dominic soon. She knew who Anakoni was from her years of surfing with Kono; he was a good guy and he was committed to preserving sacred space on the island. He’d always been kind to her and treated her the same as any other kid, never making her feel like an outsider for being a haole. He was a calming influence on Shiny as well; she’d noticed he wasn’t quite so willing to jump into something dangerous lately.

Finally both she and Dominic were under control with their laughter and the Pack dispersed, no longer entertained by the mental breakdown of their leadership. 

“Here I was trying to be romantic and you had to go and ruin it. Will you never let me romance you, Gimp Queen?” Dominic teased, wrapping his arms around her in the shadows.

“I’m romanced by you every day just by being with you.”

“You’re a sap.”

“You’re a dangerous biker with a marshmallow soul.”

“Does that mean you’re going to set me on fire and eat me?”

“Maybe we can skip the fire part?” Grace leaned up again and brushed her lips against his. The problem with that was as soon as she leaned up, she could feel the full length of his body against hers … including his hard cock. It was torture to break that soft kiss but she didn’t want to embarrass either of them in front of the entire club, shadows or not.

“Let’s go find my Dads and see if they are getting into trouble yet.” 

Taking his hand and leading him away from the shadow was the hardest thing she’d ever done so far.

‘So much for being more than your hormones.’ she thought to herself.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here there be smut. So much smut. Smutty smuttiness. Albert's gift to you.

Grace was going to kill him. She was already slowly killing him with every smile, giggle and touch; a lovely death but a death none-the-less. Tonight, in her first official capacity as being the First Lady for his Club, she had charmed people she had known her entire life into recognizing her as someone new and had shown that the Jersey Wolves knew how to offer respect to both men and their women. She had been able to stun the Gary guy with her knowledge of engines and even get a favor owed by offering to take them up to meet Mamo (although if he were being honest with himself, Grace would find any excuse in the world to go see Mamo). And she had looked absolutely gorgeous in red, standing out in a crowd of black and white. 

The problem was how absolutely devastating she was to him. He was developing a case of blue balls that even jerking off wasn’t helping for much anymore; but he was determined to hold his word to Steve. He’d treat her like a lady and not take advantage of her … he could wait. He could hold off a little while longer … God knew he had fantasies that held him over. But seeing her just as wrecked, especially in the car before they’d even gotten to the party … that had almost been his undoing. He’d spent the entire night watching her, standing next to her so everyone would know who she was with and he felt like an absolute neanderthal. But he’d also spent the entire night pinching his fingernails into his thigh to keep his cock from staying hard all night long and it was getting harder and harder as the night wore on. By the time she’d suggested they go find Steve and Danno, Dominic was grateful. At least in the presence of them, he was more afraid of what they would do to him if he acted on his wants than anyone else. 

And because the Universe was a complete bitch, the one relief he thought was almost guaranteed did nothing for him. He sat with Steve and Danno, Grace beside him and he had to almost draw blood on his own leg to keep his cock under control. It was killing him and the worst part was that Grace seemed to be just as antsy; she was constantly fidgeting beside him and he could feel her thigh muscles flex every now and again. He could almost imagine her thighs doing that around his waist while he thrust deep insi-

“-Yoohoo! Earth to Dominic!”

Dominic shook his head, looking up. Grace was giggling quietly, Steve was smirking and Danno was snapping his fingers in front of Dominic’s face. He swatted at Danno’s fingers and scrubbed his face.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“I was telling you Steve and I are heading out to take care of something for Chin.”

“Oh. Be safe, I’ll make sure Grace gets home safe.” he smiled at Danno and he could hear Grace rolling her eyes.

Steve and Danno both hugged Grace and shook Dominic’s hand before they made their way out. Moments later, before Dominic could even get a word out, Malia came over to ask Grace to come with her to help with something and Grace kissed his cheek before disappearing. He was left with an uncomfortably hard cock, which wasn’t going away any time soon so he got up and made his way around the Clubhouse again. A few guys were sparring in the gym and he found Freckles, Tech and Shakespeare watching. There seemed to be a pretty even match and although he had no idea who either guy was, it was enjoyable to watch. A few minutes went by and he felt someone press their body against his left side. His arm almost came up automatically before he registered the body was too tall to be Grace. He turned his head to find Lissa standing so close he could see how heavy her makeup was. He immediately stepped back and she followed.

“Hey Wolfie. Fancy seein you here.”

“Hey Lissa. Good to see you. I didn’t think Bear was out yet.”

“Oh Bear’s still inside, unfortunately. But Malia insisted that I should still come anyway since we’ve been together for a while now.”

“That’s good to hear things are going good for you and Bear. He’s a good guy.”

Dominic was getting an itch. She was too close for too long and he didn’t want to physically push her off but he was fast reaching a point where that’s exactly what he was going to do if she didn’t give him some space. He’d taken several steps away and she’d followed every time. The Wolves were too busy watching the fight to see what was happening.

“You know, I felt bad when you never called me back after we were together here at the Club. I thought you and I had something nice goin’ and it was heading somewhere nicer.”

“You found Bear. I didn’t want to intrude.”

“Bear’s good and all but he’s not the man you are. And you deserve a lady who knows how to take care of a man.”

“Thankfully, that’s exactly what he’s found so there’s nothing for you to worry about.” Grace’s voice was as cold as Dominic had ever heard it. Lissa flicked her eyes over Dominic’s shoulder and he watched her pupils dilate as recognition hit her.

“You’re that kid! The one that ran into me that day. What, you get jealous of a woman having a man?”

Dominic turned, wanting to wrap his arms around Grace and protect her from this but he knew this was something she’d need to nip in the ass on her own. Instead, he nudged Freckles and sat back to watch the beauty that was his woman.

“In order to be jealous, that would mean there was something lacking in me in the first place, which there isn’t. And while yes, I do agree that I knocked you down that day and I do apologize for not stopping to make sure you were OK but you see, I was running for the First Aid kit for Gutches. We’d been sparring in here that morning and I landed a roundhouse that broke his nose so I needed to get more gauze than we had in the gym. I promise you, at that point, I was more concerned about a man I have looked up to all my life than a woman I barely know. You get a pass tonight because it’s Christmas and we worked so hard to put this party together and obviously, you weren’t aware of Dominic’s status. But now that you are aware, I’m sure it won’t be a problem in the future. Mele Kalikimaka, Lissa.”

Grace had walked from where she’d been standing over to Dominic and she wrapped her arm around his waist possessively, never taking her eyes off Lissa the entire time. It took five seconds for Lissa to realize she’d been dismissed and she turned on her heel and walked away, trying to hold her head up. Unfortunately, there’d been a pause in the sparring and a few people that had been standing nearby had heard Grace’s dressing down of the woman and there were a few sneers and a couple of names that weren’t exactly complimentary tossed her way. Dominic had a feeling Bear would probably hear about this inside and Lissa wouldn’t be coming to any more events.  He turned to look at Grace, expecting to have to apologize but when he turned, she smiled up at him with the bright smile that she reserved for when she was fixing a bike or just hanging around with the Wolves.

“Who’s winning?”

“Huh?”

“The fight,” she pointed towards the ring before continuing, “Who is winning?”

“I have no idea. I was too enthralled by a beautiful woman defending my honor.”

“Pfft. That wasn’t defending your honor babe. That was me giving the biggest motormouth in the Club all the juicy details about our being together so that it’ll spread to any other hangers-on that might have designs on my Wolves. I have to protect my boys from those treacherous women … they have cooties, you know,” Grace whispered the last and giggled.

Freckles barked a laugh while Tech and Shakespeare jokingly offered their thanks to their “Mother” for protecting them from evil girls. Grace groaned out   
loud at the name and threatened to put them in time out if the didn’t stop.

***

Malia had wanted Grace meet the cleaning staff that had been hired to clean the Clubhouse after the party was over with. They had been cleaning the Clubhouse since Jack McGarrett had been alive and they were thrilled to meet his granddaughter (she couldn’t get them to understand it was only by marriage). Malia also asked if Grace would be okay in the house tonight and, after being assured she’d be fine, had made her promise to call if she needed anything. Grace appreciated it and hugged her before going off to find Dominic. She’d seen a few people heading towards the gym so she assumed Gutches was beating up some poor schmuck again; imagine her surprise to find Dominic being cornered by Lissa Haverd. Grace knew who she was just from having grown up in the Club and didn’t think much of her. She knew Dominic had a short thing going with her for a while because she remembered running into them (literally) the day she’d broken Gutches’ nose. And just like that day, Lissa was made up too heavily and trying too hard; but now Grace was free to say something. However, she also remembered that she was representing not only the Wolves but also her upbringing … she wasn’t about to sink down to being catty. Cold, however … cold she could do.

By the time she’d finished speaking with Lissa, she’d made her point. Lissa would run to all the other women like herself, all looking for a guy with a patch to bed, and they’d probably at least think twice before trying anything with Dominic. She leaned into him with her arm around his waist and put his arm around her shoulders to watch the fight. She’d been expecting something like this to happen, it came with the territory even in a Club as close-knit as ‘Auana. She refused to answer when Shakespeare started calling her “Ma” and may have made a rude hand gesture at him behind Dominic’s back, which caused him to laugh. She also couldn’t shake the hyper-awareness she had of Dominic’s body, nor it’s affect on her.

All night her body had been electrified by his and she was turned on. Her belly felt like there was a ball of electricity sitting inside and her pussy was aching so much she could feel her heartbeat in her clit. It hadn’t been helped, knowing he was just as turned on and she was trying not to just drag him back to the car to go home and do something about it. She was responsible … she could be mature about this. Although the more she stood beside him, breathing in that scent of pine and gunpowder, the more worked up she got. Her nipples were pushing against her bra and she kept glancing over at him as she imagined him naked on his back. She could lick and suck his nipples until they were as hard as hers, feel him rubbing against her pussy just like he did that day in the apartment … except without the clothes between them. Feel him inside of her … filling up the hollow feeling that ball of electricity left behind.

“Grace, you’re killing me.” his voice interrupted her.

“What do you mean?”

“I can feel you staring at me. I can feel you squirming. I can practically hear what you’re thinking about and I hope like fuck it’s what I’m thinking about because we’re going to very casually start making our goodbyes and I’m going to take you home.”

Dominic’s voice was darker and deeper than she’d ever heard it and when she looked up into his eyes, she knew. A tremble ran through her body as she slipped out from his arm and took his hand in hers.

“Home sounds perfect.”

***

As Dominic pulled up in front of his own house, Grace’s nervous energy failed her. She knew what she wanted, she knew Dominic was who she wanted … but she had no idea what she was doing. What if her inexperience ruined it for him? What if she did something stupid like fart while they were fucking? She twisted her fingers in the hem of her dress as Dominic came around the front of the car to open the door for her. She watched him, his beautiful body moving so surely, and felt another pulse between her legs. As soon as he helped her up out of the car, she pulled him towards her body and leaned up to kiss him. To reassure herself of him and how much they wanted each other. To feel his hands on her body anywhere and everywhere. His kiss was hot and she soaked it up, adding to it with her own desire as their tongues curled around each other. She was light-headed and breathless as she ran her hands down to his hips and pulled them tight against her body, craving that friction.

“Fuck, Grace. We ha … have to get inside. Bed. Get to the bed.” Dominic’s voice was wrecked and he could barely speak a coherent sentence. Of course, if someone were to ask her anything right now, she wasn’t sure she could answer either. Her entire world was being driven by instinct and need.

He led them into the house and as soon as the door was shut and locked, Grace was in his arms again. She needed the feeling of him against her, anchoring her to something while her body just felt like it might implode. He pressed his hands against her hips, pulling her closer and letting her feel his cock through their clothes. She pressed her hands against his, pushing them down to her ass and she jumped up, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his shoulders. Her lips never stopped kissing him and his hands never stopped touching her. She felt him start to move, walking and she presumed to the bedroom. God her body was on fire and it was all centered between her thighs, the electricity growing bigger than just her belly and she ground herself against him even as he was walking. The sound he made when she did that only made the burn that much hotter. 

Vaguely she realized he’d stopped walking and she broke the kiss long enough to look; sure enough Dominic’s bedroom. She let herself slide down his body, putting her feet on the floor and looking up at him. His face was a hazy mess of desire with spit slick lips, dark eyes full of every promise she’d given to herself and his breath was coming in the same heavy, short pants that her own came in. His hair was a mess and he’d never been more handsome to her in all his life.

“I’m yours, Dominic. I always have been and tonight, there’s nothing between us. Your my man and I’m your lady and I want the whole world to know it someday but for now, I’m good with just you and I knowing.”

His hands came out and pulled her hair free of the knot she’d twisted it into. He sank his fingers into her hair as soon as it fell free and he pulled her close. “I’ve always known you were mine, Grace. Just like I’ve always known I belong to you. I’ve wanted you from day one and believe me when I tell you, I’ve dreamed about having you for years. I’ve always wanted to be your first and your only but before we go too far down this road, I need to know you’re sure and this isn’t just a reaction to what happened at the party.” He looked at her so earnestly, she fell in love all over again.

“Dominic, I’ve been masturbating thinking about you since I was 15. I’ve been dreaming about having you in bed fucking me since I was 16. This isn’t a reaction to anything other than just what we both know has been building for a long time. Now tell me you have condoms somewhere in this house and you’ll make me the happiest woman on the entire island.”

***

She was gorgeous, perfect and so hot he thought he might melt. Her mouth on his was all the oxygen he’d ever need and it took every functional braincell he had to make sure she was doing this because she wanted to, not because she felt the need to stake her claim. When he heard her saying she’d been dreaming about him fucking her since she was 16, he almost lost it right there. He grinned as he nodded and lifted her up into his arms, carrying her to the bed. He loved how easily she fit against him and the need to be inside of her … to be a part of her … was fast overtaking every braincell he had. He set her down on her feet carefully and began searching for how to peel her dress off. He couldn’t find a zipper or a button or a magic fucking wand and he was getting frustrated as he kissed her, running his hands over every curve and memorizing her body like he’d memorize a city. Know every curve, blind corner and stop sign. He felt her giggle against his kiss as she took pity on him and brought one of his hands to her side, sliding it up under her armpit and he finally felt the zipper.

“Fuckin side zippers. Why can’t you wear normal clothes that a genius like me can figure out how to get you out of them?” he asked her between kisses.

“Because I love the feeling of you touching me everywhere trying to find it.” she replied, her hands coming up to push the dress open and then go up over her head. He pulled the dress in the same direction and suddenly, he had Grace wearing nothing more than her bra and panties with the charm bracelet he’d given her in Chicago. Her warm gold skin set off the brilliant ruby red of her undergarments and he groaned at how lacy everything was. He was so stunned with how beautiful she was, he barely registered that she was pushing his cut off his shoulders and carefully laying it at the foot of the bed before coming back to start with the buttons of his shirt. Her hands flew and everywhere she touched him was another tattoo of her ownership on his skin; he could feel the heat rolling off her body and now he could see the effect he had on her. 

The lacy cups of her bra almost emphasized her hard nipples and when he reached up to run his thumb over each one, he felt her tremble and the pause in her hands on his buttons. He grinned, a little darkly he was sure, and purposefully rubbed the calloused skin of the pad of his thumb over each nub to watch her tremble again, catching her breath as she raised her eyes up to look at him. He rolled her nipples again and her eyes fell to half mast as she groaned; apparently his Queen was sensitive and he tucked that information away before moving his hands wider, taking the entire cup of her bra into his palm and massaging her breasts. Her hands, which had stopped moving when he’d rolled her nipples, grabbed hold of his shirt as though she were trying to ground herself. He leaned forward, hovering over her body and kissed her again, pressing his body against hers so she could feel the same reaction her body inspired in him. He wanted her naked and grinding against him but he wanted to savor the moment … there’d never be another first for her and he wanted to make this as perfect as he could. His hands moved towards her back, finding the clasp of her bra and releasing it so the material fell loose against her shoulders and he could push it off her shoulders and finally take in her breasts.

Just smaller than the palm of his hand, her breasts were soft and perfect just like the rest of her. He spread his hands over them as he kissed his way down the column of her throat, running his fang across her skin to make her shudder before finally taking one perfect nipple into his mouth and licking the flat of his tongue against the sensitive skin. The groan he heard in response, coupled with her hands sinking into his hair and the automatic jerk of her hips was worth every single moment of torture he’d endured waiting for this. He sucked her nipple between his teeth and finally indulged himself, running his fang over the bud; Grace’s hands tightened in his hair and he was suddenly aware of the heavy scent of what could only be her pussy. It was sweet and heavy, reminding him of something familiar that made his cock swell in his pants. He felt her hands slide their way down to his shoulders and he suddenly found himself being pulled upward until their mouths came together again and her hands were yanking his shirt off.

“You … do no … not ge … et to … fuck … off, Wolf. Off now.” Her voice was thick with want and he loved the sounds she made as he pushed his shirt off his shoulders and threw it somewhere over his shoulder. Almost immediately, he felt her mouth against his chest, her tongue tracing his violet tattoo while her hands went around his waist and she ground their bodies together. “Love … taste you … love my wolf.” She sucked his nipple into her mouth, just as he’d done to her and he hissed with the pleasure it sent through him. He ran his hands over her back, down to the top of her panties and back up to the base of her neck, absorbing the feeling of her skin and her body. He could die with the feeling of her body against his.

When he found he was so busy touching her that he’d missed out on her undoing his button and zipper, he growled low in his throat. His cock was almost bursting as her hands pushed at the waistline of his jeans and he discovered that he loved the feeling of her calloused hands against his skin. Every woman he’d ever been with before Grace had soft hands, delicate bodies with a knowledge of how to touch to get just the right response but Grace, with her strength and sturdy body and callouses on her hands from working on bikes made him feel better than he’d ever felt. He hadn’t expected that and it inspired him, pushing his jeans down his leg and stepping out of them before putting his hands under Grace’s ass again and lifting her up so her legs went around his waist again. This time, when she was pressed against him, he could feel how wet she was through the thin material of her panties right up against his cock and he groaned into her mouth as they kissed again.

***

Every touch lit the electricity running over her skin brighter and hotter. His thumbs against her nipples had made everything brighter and she’d almost whited out behind her eyelids. His fang, his tongue and his mouth … all of it was too much and not enough. She stopped thinking about where she should touch or what she should do and just let instinct take over. She could feel his cock against her panties when he lifted her up and she rolled her hips, tasting his groan and adding to it with her own. She flexed her thighs, tightening them around his waist and bringing her pussy in closer contact with the hard length of his cock. She sucked his tongue into her mouth, nipping at the skin of his lips, wanting to be consumed and to melt into him. She felt his cock twitch when she flexed her thighs and she smirked against his mouth as she did it again and she felt his fingers dig into the skin of her ass.

“Gon … gonna ki … kill me, Grace. Kill m … me with those thi … thighs.”

Her answer was to do it again and she felt his growl in her chest as he moved forward and laid her down on the bed. She mewled at the loss of his skin against hers but when she looked up at him, the visual was worth the loss. His skin was flush and she could finally see every inch of him, the sun darkened skin of his torso leading to the small patch of hair that trailed down to the edge of his boxer briefs. He was gasping in air and the look in his eyes when she saw his eyes made her ache even more … it was a purely predatory look of ownership. To answer it, she reached up and trailed her finger along the edge of her panties, teasing them down inch by inch. He growled again and this time, he was on her in an instant; every inch of his body pressing her down against the mattress and her legs spread wide to accommodate him as they fit perfectly together. His mouth on hers, his hands running over her body and the feel of his cock was heavy and welcome; she knew she was losing a piece of herself tonight but it was like finding something that had been missing for 17 years. She tilted her hips and he pushed her back down again.

“Gra … Grace … want so much … make it slow … good … love you. I kno … know you’re a vi … rgin. Dont wan … want to hur … hurt. Hurt you.”

She pulled her hands up to his face and broke their kiss so she could look him in the eye. That predatory look was still there and it rocked through her body. She took a breath, gathering up all her thoughts so she would make sense.

“I love you, Dominic and I know what we’re doing. I’m not going to break. I need this as much as you. I know you can do gentle and I know you love me. There are fairy tales galore about making love being slow and delicate but that’s not me and it never will be. It’s not us. Even when we fuck, it’s making love Dominic. So stop holding back … stop being afraid of hurting me and make love to me like we’re meant to be.”

She brought her mouth up to his and kissed him with all the need she felt in her heart. She took him against her body and wrapped her legs possessively around his waist, opening herself up to him. His response was almost rabid, as though he needed to hear that before he could truly indulge in her. His arms wrapped around her shoulders and he pulled her up so she was straddling his body and she slotted perfectly against him. His hands ran down her body, coming up under her ass and sliding into her panties to grab hold of her ass and push her up even further so she was kneeling against him. Her eyes locked with his as he moved his hands away and she felt him shifting under her, knowing he was taking his boxer briefs off. She put her hands on his shoulders, bracing herself against him and biting her lower lip before kissing him again. When she felt him jerk, tossing the last of his clothes somewhere she sank back down slowly, letting the length of his cock rub against the lace of her panties before she straddled him again. Every inch of their bodies together, every beat of their heart together. She hadn’t closed her eyes and she watched him as they kissed … watched him watching her as he lifted her up and thrust, the length of him moving back and forth. The electricity in her belly exploded and she had to grab onto his shoulders, digging her fingers into his skin as her body erupted in an orgasm that had her back bowing in and her head thrown back. It was blue and white and black behind her eyelids and her whole body felt lighter than air.

***

Watching his woman cum just from dry humping his cock against her panties almost made Dominic lose control. She was beautiful; she was his perfect woman. Her fingers digging into his shoulders were going to leave bruises, he could tell that just from the strength of her grip. When she’d told him that even fucking was making love, his heart had stopped in his chest … he’d been trying to be so gentle, to make it perfect and when she’d said that, he knew why he’d fallen in love with her in the first place. 

His Queen wasn’t delicate and she wasn’t afraid of getting hurt. She wasn’t the kind of woman who’d break if you thrust too hard or complain he was too rough; she was real and perfect and he wanted to lose himself inside of her. He laid her back on the bed, grinding his hips against her to prolong her orgasm and kissing her to taste how sweet she was. His brain registered that he better get his condom now before he got caught up in the taste and the feel of her against his body; he reached toward the side table and fumbled for the foil packet before his hand finally landed on it. Grace had finally come down and was staring at him, seeing right through him. She was a beautiful wreck of want and need and she belonged entirely to him. He ripped the foil and managed to roll the condom down over his cock; watching her the entire time. 

He sat between her thighs, running his hands up the skin of the inside of her leg towards her still panty covered pussy. She watched him, spreading her legs wider as his hand came up against the crotch of her panties. She was soaked through and almost boiling hot. He’d been afraid he’d need to find his bottle of lube but feeling her now, he knew he wouldn’t need it. He was almost afraid to breach her panties but he needed to be inside of her … needed to feel her. It was a shock when he felt her hand on his, pulling him forward and sliding her panties to the side. The heat against his fingers almost burned and he watched her as she arched her back in invitation; one finger pressed against her and she groaned as he moved it back and forth. Her eyes were black, her breath gasping and she rolled her hips up.

“More … everything … you. Love me.”

He knew there was no way he could be inside her yet; she was too tight. But the sound of her voice, the need he could hear overrode what he “knew”. He pulled his finger back, bringing it to his mouth to taste her. Apples. The taste exploded on his tongue … syrupy and sticky sweet like an apple fresh from the tree. She rose up, shimmying backwards away from him and for a moment, he was tempted to stop her but he realized what she was doing. The red lace of her panties flew past him and she was naked for him. His eyes drank her in … his Queen and his woman. Untouched and perfect, arching up for him with her legs around his waist. He pulled her up again, her legs straddling his waist and holding her up by her waist. Her hands automatically braced against his shoulders and she looked down at him before leaning forward and taking the slowest, sweetest kiss he’d ever had in his life. It was the gentle reminder that his Grace would always be his, that this wasn’t just fucking and never would be. His hands came down and he adjusted his cock so he was just against the entrance to her body. He could feel how hot she was just against his head and he had to be inside her. She nodded into their kiss, turning back into something possessive and taking a piece of him as she sank down with one push. He felt her virginity give way and felt the shudder of her body against his. She sobbed into his mouth and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. Being inside of her was tighter, hotter and more beautiful than he’d ever deserve in his life. She was perfect in everything and he held himself still as long as she needed him to in order to get used to the feeling of his cock inside of her. It didn’t take long.

She rolled her hips gently, experimentally. The squeeze of her insides against his cock was too much and not enough; the roll of her hips would be his undoing if not the look in her eyes. He looked at her, their eyes coming together and he pulled back out, supporting the weight of her body in his arms and thrusting back in. It was even better the second time, looking her in the eye and hearing her groan as she clenched around him. He pulled back again and this time she was the one to thrust down, sinking herself down on him. From that moment, he was lost. He couldn’t tell who thrust, who rocked … it was sweat and heat and kissing and biting. It was love and ownership and fucking and making each other their own. When he felt her clenching around him again, he lost control of himself and he was thrusting hard and fast inside of her, riding her orgasm while he stared into her eyes. 

Neither one of them blinked … neither one of them let go. Her fingers were dug into his biceps and he was holding her hips and he knew they’d both have bruises later but just in this moment, cumming while inside his woman and watching her orgasm around him … he was perfect.

They collapsed against the bed and he carefully pulled himself out of her, tying off and tossing the condom into the trash beside his bed. She sprawled herself across his chest so she could look up at him and he could see the contentment in her eyes. She snuggled against him, pressing a kiss against his chest, just where his heart was. 

“I love you, my Wolf.”

His heart melted and he smiled down at her.

“I couldn’t love you more, mia regina.”

… and he meant it.


	23. Chapter 23

It had been several weeks since the Christmas Party, during which time Dominic and Grace were hardly ever apart. Just like when they’d first come to the island, Dominic was up at the “too early to be alive” hour of the day to go with Grace and walk the trails. She couldn’t run yet but she was encouraged to walk as much as possible to build up the strength in her leg. After the walk, they’d have breakfast somewhere and then he’d go to work and she went to school. After school, she’d come by the garage and work for a while or, if there was no work for her to do, she’d clean up a little or just sit and spend time with the guys in the garage (coincidentally, everyone in the Garage except for Danno and Steve, were either Wolves or Pups). When it was time to clean up for dinner, she’d take off and he’d pick her up on the way to Chin’s for dinner with their Ohana. Sometimes Grace would meet him at Chin’s because she’d been helping Malia to prep for the dinner. And after dinner, a nice long ride before bringing her home.

At the moment, they were at the garage and Grace had just finished doing some work on her shovelhead before she came over to where Dominic was working on a bike. She tapped him on the shoulder and pointed over towards the doorway where Gary was standing with a boy about nine or ten years old. He stood up and washed his hands before walking over, Grace beside him. They were about 5 feet away when the boy’s face lit up and he started tugging on his father’s arm.

“Dad! Dad! Do you know who that is? Oh my god, Dad seriously do you know who that is?” his voice was loud and full of absolute shock. 

Gary looked down at his son, confusion on his face. “Who, son?”

“Daaaadd! That’s Grace Williams-McGarrett! I have her poster in my room! You didn’t tell me you knew GRACE WILLIAMS!”

Grace smiled wide and waited to be introduced, but Dominic could tell she was a little shocked at having such recognition.

He extended his hand towards Gary. “Nice to see you again, glad you could stop in. You remember my woman, Grace.”

Gary nodded, accepting the handshake and offering one to Grace as well. “This is my son, Joshua. The minute I said I thought I could get him on a bike, he’s been non-stop about it. And apparently, he knows your woman as well?” The look of confusion was still on Gary’s face.

“I rode motocross for a few years and went to the X Games this past summer.” Grace kept her voice light, and offered her hand to Joshua. “It’s nice to meet you. Your dad was telling me that you really wanted to start riding?”

“Uh huh! I’ve been following you for like 3 years now since I first saw you on tv when you took Gold at the Wailua Invitational. You were da kine with the double Nac Nac action!” 

“Yeah that was a pretty awesome day but there were some great riders there with me and trust me when I tell you that double took a LOT of work. How about you and I go over here and you can tell me about your experiences and let your Dad and Dominic talk?” Grace looked up at Gary, looking for affirmation before she took Joshua into the office. 

“Your woman is somethin else. I know the name but never put the two together … Josh’s been crazy about her forever.”

“Like I said … luckiest son of a bitch on the planet, you’re lookin at him. So what can I do for you?”

Gary went on to ask about setting up an appointment to have his Fatboy worked on and converted over to the fuel injection system and Dominic swelled with a little bit of pride. He was doing this solely based on Grace’s advice. Once they set up a good time for him to bring the bike in, Gary asked about taking Josh up to Kahuku.

“For that, let’s go see Grace. She knows Mamo’s schedule far better that I do and I know she has finals coming up soon.”

“Finals? It’s only January?”

“Grace is graduating early and she has early acceptance to UH.” Dominic tried not to brag about his woman but sometimes, he couldn’t help it.

He led Gary into the office to find Joshua and Grace gushing over the new frames coming out from Yamaha. “Hey Grace. Gary was just asking about a good time to go see Mamo? I know you’re pretty locked in with finals so I didn’t want to speak for your schedule.”

Grace took out her phone and checked it, chewing her bottom lip. “Well, I’m slammed this week and next weekend is Mamo’s closed training. The week after, you have your thing with Chin and the Wolves but … the Sunday after next is clear for both of us and for Mamo. Would that work for you, Gary?” She smiled as she asked and Joshua turned on his puppy dog eyes.

Gary laughed and nodded. “What do I need to bring and where can we meet.”

Grace wrote down the address and name for a friend of hers that worked at a used sporting goods store on the island and handed it to Gary. “Go talk to Marnie. You let her know Gracie sent you and she’ll make sure to take care of Josh. Mamo’s is a good 2 hours from here so we can meet here just after dawn, stop by a great little diner along the way and be to Mamo’s in time for him to open up. I’ll call ahead and let him know we’re coming.”

Josh’s face lit up and Gary looked relieved and grateful.

Grace took Josh to see her bike (she had it in the shop just to do a tune up, she claimed. Dominic knew she kept it here because she missed riding) and while they were gone, Gary once again shook Dominic’s hand. 

“I appreciate this, brah. When Josh’s Mom died last year, things got real rough for us so it’s good to see him smiling like that again. I haven’t seen that smile since before Kaila died. You need anything, you let me know, ya?”

“It’s not a problem. We’ll take good care of your bike and I take zero responsibility for any motocross addictions that may occur in your home.” Dominic was laughing as Josh came running out, yelling all about how awesome Grace’s bike was and he couldn’t wait to go see her Uncle Mamo. Gary shook his head and laughed. 

“That ship sailed, brah. Long time ago.”

***

“You were really great today.”

“I’m great every day, Dominic. Could you be more specific?”

Grace and Dominic were laying in bed and she was tucked up against his side tracing her fingers across his tattoos. He was growing used to having her right beside him and loved the times when they would just nap together, so he could wake up next to her. 

“With the kid, Josh. Gary was telling me his mom died last year and things were rough. But meeting you put a smile on his face that his Dad hadn’t seen since before his mom died. You were really awesome with him.”

“I like kids. I used to teach up at Mamo’s when I was still riding and he had me working with kids a little younger than Joshua. It’s awesome when you get to see them learn their first trick or figure out how to do something on their own.” Her voice was quiet, like she was thinking about something. Dominic stretched his fingers and poked her in the belly.

“You’re far away, mia regina.” It had become their phrase whenever one of them seemed to be lost in their own head. 

“You’ll laugh at me.”

“Have I ever laughed at you?”

“How long can you wait. I have a list.”

He snorted and kissed her temple. “I don’t laugh when it’s important.”

She rolled over so she was laying on his chest and looked up at him. 

“Have you ever thought about kids?”

Dominic was stunned into silence. His head started spinning with every reason for why she’d ask that and his brain could only come up with one reason. He flicked his eyes from her face down to where her belly was pressed against his hip and then back to her face. He opened his mouth to say something when she rolled her eyes and poked his shoulder.

“No Wolfie. I’m not asking because we are imminently expecting. Between my pill and your condoms, we’re pretty well covered. No, I’m talking in the general sense.”

Dominic felt his heart begin to calm down from the panicked racing it had begun. He took a breath and thought for a minute. “I’ve never really given it much thought. I always assumed that someday I’d probably have a kid or two if I found the right ol lady. What about you?”

She smiled at him … the little smile that was shared just between the two of them. “Someday sounds nice. Once I finish my degree and have myself installed as the Gimp Queen, it’d be nice to have a couple of Gimplings.”

Dominic pictured her with 2 or 3 kids and found he kinda liked the idea. Of course that raised every other reason why it was a terrible idea as well … what if he went inside? What if something happened to him? What if- “OW!” He rubbed his shoulder where she’d poked him.

“I grew up with a man who jumps to worst case scenario about what breakfast cereal to buy, I know that look. Stop.” Grace fixed him with a look and he grinned. 

“Okay. I’ll stop. But can we not call them Gimplings? They might get a complex … especially if they take after their mother in height.”

Grace swatted him with a pillow.

***

Two weeks later found Dominic loading Grace’s bike onto the trailer and driving up to the diner at o’fuckthirty in the morning with Gary and Joshua following behind the truck. Dominic had done some looking into Gary in the last two weeks and he seemed a good guy who’d just had a shit run of luck with his wife dying and his son starting to get into trouble in school. Gary was, by trade, a plumber but for the Club he excelled at surveillance and plantings; in short, he could create a plumbing problem somewhere and then use that as an excuse to get in somewhere and plant a bug. A good skill to have and a good friend to have, should the need arise. And he’d been thanking Dominic profusely for Grace’s involvement and offering to introduce Josh to Mamo. 

When they walked into the diner, Lisa was once again their waitress and she smiled warmly at them both. 

“A little birdie told me you were back on the island but I haven’t seen you so I didn’t believe them. We’ve missed seeing you guys,” Lisa said, embracing both Grace and Dominic.

“I’ve been healing up so it was hard to get anywhere, let alone to Uncle Mamo.”

As they sat down, Dominic introduced Gary and Josh to Lisa, who laughed and looked at Grace. “Making sure another generation rides?”

Grace may have blushed straight down to the tips of her toes and mumbled something about “kids gotta learn”. Dominic chuckled a little uncomfortably and Lisa got the hint.

“Great to meet you Gary, and your boy. I know these 2 are coffee people, what can I get you?”

“I’ll have a coffee with a little cream. What do you want, bud?”

“May I please have iced tea?”

“Course you can, bug. I’ll be right back.”

Gary, as it turned out, didn’t realize ‘Auana didn’t pay at the diner either. He offered to cover it and Lisa just laughed and told Dominic to explain the “rules”. They left her a $20 tip anwyay.

***

Finally getting to Mamo’s place was like coming home for Grace. She could smell the gas and oil for a mile out and she started to fidget in her seat. Dominic accused her of being like a toddler and she grinned.

“I haven’t seen Uncle since Thanksgiving. I’m used to seeing him daily or at least 3 times a week.” Grace tried not to sound bitter but it was hard. Riding was such a part of her that not being able to do it or be around it was killing a tiny part of her soul. She’d sit on her bike sometimes, thinking about her last trick and wondering if she’d ever even be able to ride again. Today was going to be her test; she’d called Mamo and asked if she could take Joshua on the family trail. She figured it was easy enough for him and should be easy for her without disrupting her arm or her leg.

The truck had barely come to a stop when Grace jumped out and half ran over to where Mamo was coming towards the entrance. Mamo didn’t move as fast as he did when Dominic first met him but he still had the same warmth and welcoming nature, making you feel at ease instantly.

“Ah, Gracie. Ol’ Mamo misses your face. You no bodda come see?”

“Uncle, I been havin haad rub. Leg catch long time heal.”

“Junk, Gracie.”

“Da kine, Uncle.”

Grace turned to Dominic and smile apologetically. She knew he could follow about half of what she said in pidgin but when she was with Mamo or Dad, sometimes it got thick and he was lost.

“Who you bring to see Ol’ Mamo, Wolf?”

Dominic motioned for Gary and Josh, introducing them to Mamo, who had a warm handshake for Gary and a hug for Josh. 

“Hey Gracie, why don’t you take Josh to go find a bike that fits him?”

“No talk story, Uncle.” Grace warned before taking Josh’s hand and leading him over to the cordoned off area where Mamo kept his bike rentals. 

“You speak bird?” Josh asked as soon as they were in the bike area.

“That I do, ipo. I also speak Hawaiian because I go to the Kame school. It taught me a lot about Hawaii because I wasn’t born here but my Dad is kama’aina.”

Josh looked down at his feet and began to worry the hem of his shirt. “My mom wanted me to go to the Kame school back home. We were gonna go look at it when she got sick.”

“I’m so sorry you lost your Mom, Josh. I lost mine too, when I was really little. She was in an accident. Maybe your Dad can take you to the Kam school here on Oahu if you still want to go.”

Josh shrugged. “Doubt they’d take me. I got into trouble back home when mom died.”

Grace smiled and reached out to hug him warmly. “And you’ll never know unless you try. It’s just like riding and doing tricks. You never know what you’re capable of until you try it. I’m graduating in 3 weeks and then I’m going to college.”

Josh looked up at her with eyes that seemed star-struck and she smiled. “C’mon, let’s get you fitted for a bike.”

***

“Are you sure you can do this?” Dominic was looking at Grace sitting astride her bike, wearing her padded suit and holding her helmet. 

She nodded her head and smiled. “I’m just gonna take Josh along the trail so he can get a feel for it. I promise I won’t even go fast.” Grace smiled at him to reassure him. Truth was, she was nervous as well but she knew this trail was the easiest one that she could ensure she didn’t have to deal with other riders. “I’ll come back in one piece, mio Lupo.”

Dominic nodded but she could see the tension in his shoulders and face. 

“Would you rather I not ride? I can walk Josh through the trail if you’d rather I do that,” Grace asked. 

“Would I rather you walk, of course I would. But I know you ride as well as you walk so I won’t take that away from you. I’ll just worry the entire time, mia regina,” Dominic replied. He knew she was offering to do it out of love but also respect.

“No worries, brah. Iz da kine,” Mamo appeared beside Dominic and slapped him on the back.

Grace slid her helmet on and pulled her visor up, looking at Josh behind her to make sure he was ready to go. He gave her the thumbs up so she pulled the visor down again and headed down the trail nice and slow. It took her a minute to get used to the lightweight feel of the bike but muscle memory helped her a lot. She pulled off to the side of the trail to let Josh pass her and she followed behind him, as they’d planned. She wanted to make sure he was okay on the bike and wouldn’t fall and crack his head on the ground. 

It took 2 trips on the trail before Josh started to show improvement. He wobbled a little at first and he confused the throttle with the break a few times but he was showing a vast improvement.  On the 3rd trip, Grace pulled her bike over by Dominic and pulled her helmet off. When Josh pulled up beside her, he lifted his visor, looking confused.

“You can take the trail alone for a bit, Josh. I need to give my leg a break.” Grace smiled at him, still straddling her bike. The truth was, she wasn’t sure she was going to be able to get off the bike. Her good leg was fine but she didn’t think she could swing her bad leg over. Once Josh was gone, she looked over at Dominic. “Can you give me a hand please? I don’t think I can get my leg over.”

Dominic came over and lifted her off the bike, kissing her cheek before putting her down. “Done riding for the day, regina.”

It wasn’t a question and she nodded. “No more riding today … or any time soon. The rest of my body is fine, even my elbow but my leg … leg can’t take it.”

“You can ease your way back. I’m sure someday you’ll be up here teaching kids to ride again,” Dominic said, tilting her chin up and she saw his smile. She wasn’t as sure as he was but she smiled anyway. 

Josh took another couple of rides around the track and by the time they were ready to leave, he was comfortable and confident on the bike. Grace smiled brightly and hugged him when he came off the bike.

“You were da kine, brah. Let’s pack up and we can get some good grindz on the way home.”

“Thank you! It was harder than I thought at first but once I got the hang of it, it was so much fun! Maybe we can come back again soon?” his face was hopeful and happy.

“I’m sure Mamo would love to have you come back but ask your Dad first. I don’t know how many times I’ll be able to get up here but I’ll come when I can.”

***

Dominic watched Grace as she favored her bad leg when she walked Josh back to return his bike. He heard Mamo coming up behind him and he turned, smiling. 

“She did good today. But the ali’i isn’t ride-ready yet, is she?”

“She can do a little but it wears her out. It’s not her elbow, which is what I thought would be her biggest obstacle but it’s her leg. I think the balance on the motocross bikes wear on her more than the heavier bikes. I don’t know that she’ll ever ride like she used to.” Dominic sighed. Motocross had been so important to her and he knew she was going to take this hard.

“You bring her here on any weekend you can and she can help teach the keiki without havin to be on a bike. Maybe just being around it will help her to not miss it so much.” Mamo clapped his shoulder. “You a good man, Dominic. You good for our Grace.”

Dominic smiled at the man. “Thanks Mamo. I do my best to stick around but she’s the one that’s good for me too.”

At that moment, Grace and Josh came back from the bike shed and she embraced Mamo warmly.

“Mahalo, tutu.”

“You always bring good riders to Ol’ Mamo. Josh, you come back any time your fadda say iz alright.” Mamo told the boy as he embraced him as well.

Dominic was holding onto Grace, who was leaning heavily against him. “Time to go home, Grace.”

She nodded and he helped her over to the truck and got her up into the seat so she could stretch her leg on the bench seat. “I put my bike in the shed. We can leave the trailer here too.” Her voice broke Dominic’s heart and he kissed her forehead.

“Make some time every few weeks for you to come up here if you want. Mamo said you can teach the kids without having to ride.”

“I’ll think about it.” Grace wasn’t looking at him, but staring out at the track she used to use to practice on. Dominic could see the tears in the corner of her eyes and he leaned forward, kissing her cheek.

“You’ll ride again, Grace. Just need to give yourself time.”

She smiled at him and he could see how tight it was, but nodded her head in agreement. “Maybe … someday, right?”

“Someday, yes.”


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. I apologize for not updating sooner. I struggled ... I love the fluff but Albert was starting to develop diabetes so I was informed something needed to happen, actionwise  
> 2\. Albert is completely to blame for how this chapter ends.

Dominic knew he wanted to do something nice for Grace’s graduation. He even knew what he wanted to do, having thought of it several weeks ago. He wanted to give her a break away from everything for a few days so he’d booked a hotel on Molokai for a week and rented a car for them to get around. He’d rejected the idea of flowers because they just didn’t seem like a “Grace” thing. A nice dinner didn’t seem enough and he was holding out for her birthday for The Gift. He was now faced with asking Danno and Steve about taking her; technically not required because she was 17 but he respected both men and didn’t want to do that to them. Which is how he found himself sitting on the lanai with both men while Grace was at the garage. He’d made an excuse about having to run and check something for the Club so he could get here without her being suspicious.

“What can we do for you Dominic?” Steve asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

“Grace’s graduation is coming and I want to do something nice for her. Give her a chance to get away for a few days to decompress before her classes at UH start. But I wanted to ask the both of you if you’d have a problem with my taking Grace away for a week to Molokai after her graduation. I understand if you refuse but I was thinking it might be a nice time away for her.” Dominic looked at both men, trying to read their reactions.

After a moment, Danno chuckled and nudged Steve in the ribs. “Go get it.”

Dominic wasn’t sure what that meant but he was pretty sure they wouldn’t actually kill him over this … but it was still a little unnerving.

“On the one hand, as a father, I really would prefer to think my daughter will never have sex, I am also what you might call ‘a realist’. Steve used to own a place on Molokai, up on Kalaupapa that we sold a few years ago and then re-invested in another place in Kaunakakai, thinkin’ it’d be a nice place for us to disappear to every once in a while but the timing has never really worked out so we usually just do short term rentals on it. It’s been empty for the last month or so and we don’t have anyone scheduled to rent it until October so you’re welcome to take Grace over there. She’s never been to the house over there and we have a couple bikes you can use. There’s a car as well but if you so much as breathe on that car, I will not be responsible for what the SEAL does to you babe. Even I don’t breathe in the same vicinity as his car. I’m pretty sure he loves that car as much as he loves Grace.”

Dominic was a little speechless. He’d been hoping they’d say yes and was instead walking away with a house and 2 bikes. When Steve came out and handed him the keys, he re-iterated the “touch car and die” speech.

“You’re sure about this? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I appreciate it but-” Dominic started before Steve interrupted him.

“Dominic, you’re family. Of course we’re sure, even if we don’t like thinking about … you know … between you and Grace. We are neither blind nor stupid. We trust that you and Grace are both responsible and I think it’s a good idea to get her away for a while. The house is right on the water and she can surf a little if she wants. I can call the property manager I use over there and have them get the house ready and stocked. They’ll pick you up at the airport and bring you to the house.”

“Thank you. Seriously, thank you. I wasn’t sure what you’d say to my asking, to be honest.”

“We appreciate you having the respect to ask before just taking her. Yes, legally she can go wherever she wants because she’s 17 and I have no say in it but I still appreciate you coming here to ask,” Danno said, standing up to offer his hand. 

Dominic took it and then found himself being pulled into a hug. 

“She’s always going to be my little girl but like I said before. If there’s anyone that I trust my girl with, it’s you.” Danno had whispered in his ear as he released him. Dominic nodded and turned to offer his hand to Steve, one again being pulled into a hug. 

He may have had an extra bounce in his step as he left the house.

***

Grace spent most of the morning getting ready for her graduation. It wasn’t the full ceremony that she’d be invited to participate in with the rest of her class in May but it was still an important event. There were 3 other people from her class that were graduating with her today and they’d all agreed they wanted to make the effort to embrace their traditional Hawaiian cultures with their clothing. Grace was wearing a new kihei and skirt, both made of kapa with a simple band of rainbow colors along the edges with a silk tank top beneath the cloak. She was currently trying to get her hair to cooperate into a braid but it was being difficult and she considered just leaving it down. A little sheer gloss over her lips was all the makeup she wore and she slid her slippahs on to go downstairs and ask her Dad if he could braid her hair. 

Not finding him in the kitchen, she moved toward the lanai and heard both of her father’s talking. Catching a snip of what was being said, she stopped and listened. Yes, she was being nosy but she’d heard her name.

“… wasn’t supposed to grow up Steven. She was supposed to stay an adorable 9 year old for the rest of time, completely ignorant of boys and the lifestyle we lead and covered in motor oil.”

“Danno, you’ve still got a few of those. She is usually still covered in motor oil and she’s gone from being adorable to being beautiful.”

“I know. I just can’t believe my Monkey is graduating high school today and starting college in a few weeks. My little girl is 17, almost 18. I’m so proud of her Steve it hurts.”

“I still see the girl with the monkey helmet hugging me the first day I ever met her. I still remember how little she was and how strong she was, even then. I remember teaching her how to speak Hawaiian and tucking her in at night. She may not be my daughter biologically, but she’s the child of my heart. We’ve raised a strong, intelligent and independent woman. She knows her roots, knows her mind and knows what she wants.”

“I know that too, babe. I do. But you think we could maybe just lock her up and never let her leave the house again?”

“Daniel, there are many things that I have faced in my life. There are many things that I would stare down for you. I’d take a bullet, single-handedly take out a Yakuza assassination squad with a Molotov and a pistol, or stand between you and your mother when she’s holding that spoon. I will not, however, be suicidal by trying to keep Grace from Dominic. I’m not sure which of them would go through me first to get to the other.”

Grace couldn’t help the silent giggle that went through her as she wiped tears out of her eyes at hearing this intimate moment. She decided to make herself known before they continued. Moving to the entrance of the kitchen, she called out for her Dad. He appeared in the door a moment later. 

“You’re so much better than I am. Please?” she held out her hairbrush and elastics. The smile on his face was totally worth it.

***

Danno’s family had flown in from Newark to be there for her graduation so once the actual ceremony was completed and all the pictures had been taken, they were going to Morimoto’s for a “family” dinner with his parents, both of his sisters, one brother-in-law and 5 cousins. Grace wasn’t exactly looking forward to it but she wasn’t dreading it either; Dominic had encouraged her to at least give the Williamses a chance. Of course, that was before he realized that he was now included in “family” and that meant he had to attend as well. 

Just like in Newark, they were loud and Grace felt a little overwhelmed by Clara but Dominic was there the entire time, rubbing her shoulders or just pressing himself against her. She appreciated his presence as the topic of what she’d be studying came up.

“Automotive Engineering, Grace? I have to say I’m surprised. In my day, women went to college to study husband-hunting but when my girls were going, it was all about the business degree. What would possess you to want to study cars?”

Grace had to almost bite through her tongue before she could manage a response. “Well, Clara I’ve been around engines all my life and when I went into motocross, I was fascinated by the differences in tricks that could be performed based on the bikes themselves. If you have too heavy an engine, there are tricks you just can’t do but people still try them so they end up hurting themselves. Once I graduate, I can start working on improving the design of the engines so that frames can be lighter and tricks can be safer for all the riders.”

She could feel Dominic shaking beside her and she wasn’t sure if it was anger or laughter so she put her hand over his on the table while holding Clara’s gaze. “I don’t need to husband hunt because I’ve already found mine so I can concentrate on actual degree work to help potentially improve the sport that gave me the financial freedom to go to school debt-free.”

Clara’s eyes narrowed slightly before she burst out in genuine laughter. “And THERE’S the snark I’ve been waiting to see. You take too much after my Eddie’s side but I’m glad to see there’s a fire in there. Io sono orgoglioso di voi il mio nipote e mi dispiace ho perso te crescendo. Questo è il mio più grande rimpianto nella vita.” She reached across the table to take Grace’s other hand in hers and give it a squeeze. “I’m damn proud of you, even if we are still getting used to each other. Never doubt that I love you.”

Grace smiled a bit more warmly and nodded. “One sarcastic remark at a time.”

Even Eddie laughed at that one before they all turned their attention to the lunch being served.

***

Later that night, Dominic was proud to walk through the assembled crowd of Wolves and ‘Auana that had gathered at Grace’s house to celebrate her graduation. She was on his arm, looking beautiful in a pair of shorts and the same silk tank she’d worn at her graduation ceremony, as she charmed everyone they talked with. The women of ‘Auana had put together the food and decorations but Grace was the First Lady here at her fathers’ house and she took the role seriously, making sure to thank everyone for coming and even giving a small speech, during which she managed to thank everyone for getting her to where she was now. She made a beautiful toast to those who couldn’t be at the ceremony but were always in their hearts, specifically mentioning Red and Big Tiny but not her own mother. Dominic supposed the wound was still too fresh. Steve and Danno stood back and let her shine; every time he looked over at them, they were smiling wide even while talking to other members of the Club.

There were gifts to be given but Dominic was holding his gift for when everyone was gone and it was just the two of them. Grace’s Wolves (the original members that had come from Jersey with her as opposed to the new patches) had gotten her a beautiful opal pendant and earrings along with a pie from Esposito’s that he was not going to ask HOW they had managed to get into Hawaii. Steve and Danno had gotten her a new set of saddlebags for her bike while Clara and Eddie had given her a new Macbook Air. She was gracious and overjoyed with every gift, being sure to seek out the person that had given the gift and thanking them personally once she’d finished opening everything. Dominic spent the night watching her, for once he was the quiet one while she led the conversation and mingled around the yard. His eye kept getting drawn to the back of her neck, just below where she’d pulled her hair free of the braid but put a twist up. Ever since Jersey, he’d pictured his name on her neck and her name on his, much like her father wore Danno’s name. It made his heart throb in his chest to think of belonging to her as much as she belonged to him. 

By the end of the night, when the last guest had left and it was just the four of them sprawled out on the adirondack chairs, an exhausted pride sat in his chest. She’d made him prouder with every conversation, every hug. One of the women at the party apparently had her man inside; Grace remembered his name and re-iterated (apparently) that if she needed anything, to please call. When Dominic had asked her about it, she’d smiled mysteriously up at him and said “First Lady stuff. Very hush hush.”

“Monkey, I’m so proud of you. You’ve accomplished so much and worked so hard. Both SuperSEAL and I love you very much.”

“I love you guys too. I wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t always supported me and given me what I needed to succeed. Although I would like to point out that I’m 17 years old and I’ve still never chased the burn out at the Dole Plantation,” she said teasingly, winking at Steve. Danno threw his hands up and laughed. 

“See what you’ve done to her, Steven. I gave you a perfectly wonderful girl from Newark with a killer right hook and you’ve turned her into a pineapple eating woman that can probably kick Dominic’s ass.”

“Can I offer that I’d really rather never find out if that’s true?”

“Trust me Dominic, I spar with her. She could. Take it at face value.”

“Still haven’t chased the burn here guys. This was the point we started with.”

“If you’re that desperate to take your life into your hands and go chase the burn, who am I to stop you? Dominic, back me up here.”

“Uhh, what’s it mean to chase the burn?”

“Almost every kid in Hawaii does it once. You can do it on a bike or in a car. But essentially what happens is you go up to the Dole Plantation when they are burning a field and you try to race from one end of the field to the other while it’s burning behind you.” Grace’s eyes were shining bright.

“Absofuckinglutely no. Nuh uh, not my woman. That’s one kama’aina experience you’re gonna have to let go of ever doing mia regina.”

Grace chuckled and leaned over to caress her knuckles against his cheek. “Don’t worry. I’ve worked too damn hard on my bike to ever risk him like that.”

“Have you ever taken Dominic up to fly the fields?” Steve asked and Dominic was ready to argue, once again, he wasn’t okay with it before Grace spoke up.

“I haven’t but I guess I thought you guys would’ve told him about it. I bet Shiny’s done it … Heck, Shiny’s probably chased the burn.” Grace laughed before turning towards Dominic. “Flying the fields is the same as chasing the burn, except no fire. You just go as fast as you want across the Dole fields just before dark. Dad took me when I was little, when I was being bullied in school for being a biker’s kid. That was the first time I saw them holding hands, although Danno looked like he was going to implode the entire time. Couldn’t relax, no matter how hard I tried to get them to keep holding hands.”

“This was your education we were talking about Grace. I wanted you to have the best and even though Steven and I were already together at that point, no one knew and we still didn’t know how the Club would react and I wasn’t sure how you would react. So I was naturally a little concerned and just very aware of what was going on.”

“Plus, that morning you went to see the principle at Grace’s old school and chewed out the teacher. So of course there was a lot of adrenaline, ya?” Steve smirked.

“Yes. I had quite a bit of adrenaline.”

“Had nothing to do with seeing Dad in a suit, right Danno?” Grace teased.

“We were both wearing suits as I recall, Monkey.”

“Wait, you wore a suit, Danno?”

“Oh yeah. Even wore loafers instead of boots. No cut either. Looked like a turtle with no shell.”

“Grace, I have to disagree. In the list of times I’ve found your father sexy, that one is in the top three.”

“Danno does clean up well, same as my Dominic.” Grace was holding his hand while they talked and she squeezed his hand.

“When have you ever seen me dressed up?”

“My birthday when you gave me the tools. You wore a really nice button down shirt that made you look gorgeous.”

“You remember what I wore to your birthday all those years ago?”

“Dominic, it was barely a few years ago and yes, I remember.”

“She gets it from Danno, son. He can never remember which branch of the military I served in but if I were to ask him which pair of jeans I was wearing 3 weeks ago, he could tell you.”

“The black ones with the hole in the left pocket that you put there when we were cha … err … working.”

Steve made a gesture as if to say ‘See!’ and they all laughed for a while before Danno stood up and pulled Steven with him.

“Come on SuperSEAL. Let’s go inside so Grace can tell Dominic how sexy he was on a random Thursday and we don’t have to hear about it.”

Grace chuckled again and stood up to hug each of them.

“Monkey loves you,” she whispered into each of their ears and she hugged them tightly.

After they had gone into the house, Grace draped herself across Dominic’s lap and kissed him. “I’ve been wanting to do that all night long.”

His hands were resting on her hips as he kissed her back, hungry for more of her but trying to keep his wits about him so he could give her his gift. It was damn near impossible and he had to physically pull backwards, chuckling.

“Mia regina … don’t you want my gift?”

“You mean you aren’t it?”

“Ha ha. No.”

“But the pendant and earrings … ?”

“… were from your Wolves, not your Wolf.”

“Oh. In that case yes, I want my present provided I don’t have to move from your lap to get it.”

“You’re in luck in that case,” Dominic said as he reached into his pocket and withdrew the housekey SEAL had given him. 

“What’s this?”

“These are the keys to your father’s house on Molokai. We leave in the morning to spend a week away from everyone and everything.”

Grace turned her face up to his, shock registering on her face.

“You mean … you physically went to see my dads and asked to take me away for a week and they not only said yes, but gave you the keys to the house?”

“Yep.”

“Holy fuck, you’re braver than I thought.” Grace leaned forward and kissed him soundly.

“To be honest, they volunteered the keys to the house. I was going to stay in a hotel. I didn’t know they even had a house over there.”

“Yeah … they own a couple of pieces of property. It helps with their income declaration.”

“I’d have thought that was easy with Jersey Red’s?”

Grace leaned back, screwed up her face and looked at him like he had just dropped his brain on the floor.

“What?” He wasn’t sure what to make of her facial expression.

“You. The Packmaster for the Jersey Wolves. The man who checks out everything, including where the pickles on his sandwich comes from. The man who knows more about those Pups of ours than they know about themselves. You don’t know?”

Dominic tried to think about what he missed and couldn’t come up with anything. He shrugged a little and looked at her for an explanation. Which came in the form of a huge belly laugh that echoed across the entire yard.

“When you can control yourself, mia regina … maybe let me in on the joke?”

“Wolf … Danno doesn’t own Jersey Red’s honey. I do.”

Now it was his turn to blink, like his brain just fell out of his head.

“When Uncle Red died, he made Danno his heir. In order to keep things separate until he could figure out what he wanted to do, Danno put Jersey Red’s in my name. When he came back to Oahu, he kept it that way because it was easier to own a part of Red’s in Jersey and be completely independent of Jersey Red’s here in Oahu so he could buy marketing and advertising from Joey, Red’s son.”

“So … I work for my First Lady?”

“Always have, honey.” Grace wore a shit eating grin. “Danno and Dad technically run the garage for me until I turn 18 but yea, you’re sleeping with the boss.”

“Why does that make me feel slightly pervy?”

“Because after I turn 18, we can have sex in the office?”

“That must be it.”

They spent a few minutes snuggling together on the chair before Grace leaned back.

“I could spend the rest of my life here in your arms but if we’re leaving in the morning, I need to pack and sleep. What time are we leaving?”

“Whenever you’re ready. Turns out Freckles is friendly with a guy that owns a small jet and he’s more than happy to wait for us.”

“Okay. Let’s aim for 10? That gives me time to sleep, pack and caffeinate myself.”

Dominic left after kissing Grace’s forehead one more time.

***

It was 9 in the morning, she’d texted him four times and called at least twice. They were supposed to leave in an hour and she hadn’t heard from him. Finally she put her bag in the back of her Dad’s truck and drove over to Dominic’s house. 

She walked in the door, saw the blood on the floor and immediately texted Freckles before pulling her gun out and creeping through the house. It was a big enough patch of blood that she recognized someone got cut pretty badly. She went room by room just like her Dad had taught her and finally made it to the bedroom. When she opened the door, she was met with a disaster.

All the furniture was broken, the windows were broken, there was blood spatter everywhere she looked and when she saw the suitcase on the floor, turned over and half-folded shirts spilling out she felt herself go cold.

Someone had come here and taken her Wolf. Someone had done something to her Pack. 

Someone was going to regret that.


	25. Chapter 25

Grace stood in the bedroom, looking around at everything and trying to piece together what may have happened while she waited for the cavalry. There were no bullet holes but there was blood but not enough for a blade, which told her whatever happened in this room had been physical. Most of the spatter was near the destroyed bed so that’s where the fight must have started but she was at a loss beyond that. She tried to think of who would be large enough to take Wolfie on like that but silent enough to sneak up on him. Coming up with a list of who had a grudge against the Wolves or Dominic himself was too many possibilities so she was trying to be rational. She walked across the room to where the suitcase was and picked it up, the rest of the clothes falling out onto the floor. She knelt down to pick them up, putting them back into the suitcase and looking around the room from what would have been Wolfie’s position. Nothing made sense and she couldn’t figure what or who could have done this.

The sound of engines rumbling up the driveway told her the rest of the Club had arrived and she carefully picked her way back across the bedroom and out to the door. The officers for the Jersey Wolves, plus the officers for ‘Auana had arrived. No sooner had they come up to the door, she laid out what she’d found.

“There’s blood right there by the door, big enough that someone took a cut but that’s the only place where the puddle is and it doesn’t lead out, it’s just there. Rest of the house is clear but Dominic’s bedroom is destroyed. Furniture’s busted, windows are blown out and his suitcase was half packed and on the floor. There’s some blood in the bedroom but it looks mostly like spatter from a fist fight. If blood dries like motor oil, I’d say the fight took place last night when he got home, which means he’s been gone at least 9 hours. I’m not sure who has the ability to both sneak up on him and take him down enough to get him out of the house but someone took my Wolf and I want them found.”

Chin and Gutches nodded as they moved into the house and began looking around. Freckles headed for the bedroom with Hook and Tech while Lou and Meka made their way around the exterior of the house. Shakespeare and Shiny moved up the driveway, looking for tire prints or anything they could see. Danno and Dad each took Grace into the kitchen to sit her down and calm her down by keeping her busy.

“Does Dominic keep a map of Oahu here at the house, Grace?” Dad asked. 

She thought for a moment before nodding and leading them towards the study where Dominic kept most of his Club related stuff. There was a table in the corner of the room that held a map of the island.

“Is his bike still here?” Danno asked and Grace shrugged.

“I honestly haven’t checked. When I started texting and calling him this morning and he wasn’t answering, I took Dad’s truck and parked it behind the house. I didn’t look in the garage yet. I can do that now.” She started to head towards the garage but Danno stopped her with his hand on her arm.

“I’ll go. You stay here with SuperSEAL and help him figure out the tacticals. You’re better at that than I am.” Danno left the room and Grace turned back to her Dad, who was wearing DEFCON 3 face.

“Okay, he left our house last night and came home. Was his alarm set when you got here?”

“Actually no. Which now that you mention it, is weird. Dominic is as compulsive as we are about setting his alarm. So whoever it was either knew how to bypass it or knew the code to disable it.”

“Okay and was the blood on the floor in the entryway fresher than the blood in the bedroom?”

“Yes. The stuff in the bedroom is fist fight kind of blood and it’s already turned brown. The stuff in the entry … well, you saw that for yourself.”

“Dominic’s a big guy … bigger than I am so it would take a good sized person to take him down.”

“His bike is in the garage, as is the car. No truck though.”

Grace picked up her phone as soon as Danno finished speaking and was flipping through her apps. Finding the one she wanted, she laid the phone down on the table so they could all see the blip on the map … right near Mākaha. “That’s where his truck is. He had a tracking chip installed in his truck and his car last year and gave me the info to the app.”

“There’s nothing in the bedroom that we can find. Grace is right, that’s where it looks like whatever happened probably started.” Gutches came into the room with Chin following.

“Nothing in the driveway either, or outside.” The rest of the Wolves came into the study, along with Lou and Meka.

“His truck is out at Mākaha … does he have anything going on out there?” Grace turned toward Freckles.

“Nothing. We haven’t had anything to do with that area ever … there’d be no reason for his truck to be there.”

“Okay, then let’s go see what his truck can tell us,” Grace said as she turned towards the door. Danno reached out for her arm and she looked at him. “Danno, I love you and I know what my role is supposed to be. Sit back and wait. But this is my Wolf … I can’t sit back and wait. I have to do something and if that means going to see where his truck is and what it can tell us, that’s what I’m going to do. Either I go with you or I wait until you leave and I go anyway.”

“Grace, I was going to tell you to give the keys to the truck to SuperSEAL and let him drive you. I don’t want you behind the wheel right now. You’re no good if you wreck the truck on the way.”

She smiled gratefully before apologizing. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t jump to assume what you’re going to say.”

“You’re my daughter. I’d expect nothing less. Now come on.”

***

Dominic’s truck was parked in an alley behind a residential area. It was closed up and locked with the keys on the seat, which was easily fixed with her spare. Grace stepped back to let Gutches and Tech look inside the truck for anything they could find. Everyone else spread out, looking for anything that would clue them in to what happened. Grace climbed into the bed of the truck, looking for any clues but she wasn’t hopeful; which turned out to be wrong.

In the bed of the truck, there was another small puddle of blood but there was something smeared beside it and what looked like a long, curly hair.

“Hey, Uncle! There’s something here in the back.”

Gutches and Tech were up in the bed in an instant. Tech picked up the hair and wiped it with an alcohol pad to clean it from blood. The hair looked almost white but with hints of blond. Grace was staring at the smear, trying to figure it out. It almost looked like someone was trying to write something but kept getting bounced. She laid down in the bed, approximately where the puddle of blood was and stared at the smear from that angle. It still didn’t make sense.

“He was trying to say something but … I can’t make it out. Looks like a W and a V?”

They all fell silent, trying to think of what W and V would have to do with Dominic or the Club in general. Grace took a picture of it so they could at least keep looking, in case it rained again and climbed down from the bed. 

“Well, another truck was here and drove off towards the road but after that, I got nothin. Big tires though and it turned left up the road. His truck have anything?” Hook had re-joined them at the truck.

Grace shook her head. “He was trying to write something on the bed of the truck but I have no idea what it means.” She showed him the picture and he studied it for a few minutes before handing her back her phone.

“I’m sorry, Grace. I don’t know anything W or V related to anything.”

Everyone else had the same response and they drove back to Chin’s house, where a much larger map of Oahu and the ability to plan existed. For now, ice cold rage was keeping Grace together and she knew that was going to fade soon enough; she wasn’t stupid enough to think she could keep her emotions at bay for much longer but she was hoping to at least stave them off long enough to get a clue of some kind. 

Once they arrived at Chin’s house, Malia took one look at her wrapped her arms around Grace’s shoulders and hugged her tight. “C’mon. Let the boys plan their rescue while you go take a hot shower. You look like you could use a little privacy.”

Grace wanted to protest but she realized what Malia was doing. She was giving her room to let her emotions out without appearing weak; she smiled at the older woman and nodded. “A shower sounds great, Auntie.”

Malia brought her upstairs to Dominic’s room and turned the shower on hot. Before she left, she hugged Grace again. “He’s a strong man, your Wolf. Whatever this is, you’ll find him and get through it together. Take as long as you need, Grace.”

Grace stood under the spray for 67 minutes, which is how long it took before the hot water ran out, and by the time she came out, she was done crying and was ready to find her man. She was in the middle of drying off when something in the back of her head triggered. She knew what the W and the V meant. Or at least she thought she did. She barely remembered to get dressed completely before she was flying down the stairs and knocking on Chin’s office door. She rushed into the room when Gutches opened the door

“I know what he was saying! I know what the W and the V are!” she gushed out and they all looked at her.

“It’s not a W or a V. It’s 3 triangles that interlock with each other. It’s the 1% patch for the Valhalla Club.”

It took a minute before anyone responded and it was Freckles that spoke first.

“You’re absolutely certain, Grace? That’s a pretty ballsy move on their part if you’re sure.”

“Uncle Chin, Google the Nordic symbol for Valhalla. It’s 3 triangles interlocking with each other, right? That day in the park, I used the body of the guy that hit me as a shield and that patch was right in front of my face. It would explain why it looks smeared. He was trying to draw it all together but bouncing around in the back of the truck made it hard to do.”

“She’s right. On both counts.” Chin turned his computer around and showed 2 browsers; one showing the Valhalla rune and the other showing the 1% patch.

“So now we know who has him but where is the question,” Danno spoke from beside her as he wrapped a blanket around her shoulders. She wasn’t sure why until she looked down and realized she was wearing a white shirt and her hair was still wet. Nothing was showing yet but he was making sure nothing did. “Grace, why don’t you go finish getting dressed and we’ll keep working down here.”

She nodded and ran back up the stairs to put a darker shirt on (one of Dominic’s) and her shorts. She brushed back her hair and pulled into a bun at the top of her head to keep it out of her face. Putting her slippahs back on, she came down to find Malia at the bottom of the stairs with a cup of coffee. 

“Come sit with me a minute, Grace. Let the boys work.”

“Auntie, I appreciate it but I need to do something. I know my role but I ca-”

“Grace, do you trust them?”

“Of course I do.”

“Do you believe that they know this island backward and forward and inside out?”

“They do.” Grace could feel her resolve melting.

“Then let them do what they do, Grace. They’ve done this before and they know how to work together. In there, you aren’t their Den Mother or their daughter … you’re a distraction. It hurts and I know you want to run out right now and find him, but you can help him the most by letting them be the muscle and being the bone that supports it.” Malia reminded her of the conversation they’d had when Grace had officially become the First Lady of the Wolves. Grace sighed and nodded, following Malia out to the lanai.

They spent 2 hours on the lanai, Grace trying desperately not to think about what Dominic could be going through, trying to control her urge to get on her bike and just go FIND him and trying not to cry at the frustration and fear boiling around in her head. Malia seemed to understand as she would occasionally reach out and squeeze Grace’s hand before continuing to talk about whatever they’d been discussing. Grace noticed Malia was very careful to talk about their upcoming parties and plans to include “you and Wolf will have to …” Grace appreciated it more than she could express.

When Shakespeare came out and invited Grace back into Chin’s office, she actually beat him there.

“SuperSEAL made some calls and Chin burned a few favors. You were right, Grace … 5 guys from Minneapolis flew into Honolulu a week ago, one of them being Hans’ son Andrew. We know where they are staying and we’re going to check it out tonight, after dark so they won’t be expecting us. I need you to stay here, Grace, with Malia. I need to know you are safe and that will help all of us to focus on getting your Wolf back to you.” Danno’s voice was firm and there would be no arguing, no matter how badly she wanted to. In her head, she kept repeating what Malia said about bone and muscle. 

“Who is going?” she asked.

“Steve, Hook, Tech, and Freckles.”

“Freckles should stay behind and you should take Shakespeare or Uncle Gutches. In ca …,” Grace voice broke but she swallowed it back and cleared her throat. “In case something has happened to Dominic, Freckles is next in line. No reason to put him in danger as well.” She turned to Freckles and smiled, letting him know that it wasn’t meant as an insult. He nodded at her, smiling back in that tight way that showed his understanding and his frustration. “I’ll be here with Malia, waiting for you to bring my Wolf home.”

***

It was dark when she woke up, something having disturbed her sleep. It wasn’t engines, so that meant the men hadn’t come back with her Wolf yet but something had woken her up. She lay perfectly still, listening to the house; she’d stayed in this house enough times to know what it sounded like at any time of day and there was something off … there was a muffled step moving through the house. She knew Chin, Freckles and Danno were here in the house but the sound definitely wasn’t one of them. Too heavy for Danno, not heavy enough for Freckles and Chin didn’t make noise (and wasn’t that creepy?). The door to the room was partially closed and she saw a shadow passing right in front of it before stopping.

The door started to swing open and she could see the shadow step into the moonlight. He was slightly taller than Grace herself with a thin frame, carrying what looked like a long, thin blade that shone in the light. Grace kept her breathing steady as though she were still asleep and waited; he moved into the room and approached the bed. He stood over her, watching her sleep before he tilted the blade and aimed for her chest. As the blade came down, she reached out to grab it and stop him but her arms were too slow. The blade was going to go right through her chest and she’d never see Dominic again. She started screaming for someone, anyone. She couldn’t hear anyone else in the house. He must have killed them alre-

“GRACE!”

She felt her whole body shaking and she opened her eyes, quickly scanning the room for her attacker and instead finding Danno, Freckles, Chin and Lou in the room with her. Her throat felt raw, like she’d been yelling and her body was a cold sweat. She realized she’d been having a nightmare but she couldn’t stop her heart from pounding and she reached out for Danno.

“Shh. You’re alright Monkey. You’re okay. It was just a nightmare.” Danno’s voice was soothing to her as he cradled her in his arms and rocked her back and forth like he’d done when she was a child. She couldn’t stop the hot tears that ran out of her eyes as she leaned into him and she wrapped her arms around his waist. It took her a few minutes to get a hold of herself and she wiped her tears away with the back of her hand.

“I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to wake up the whole house, guys.” She had a watery smile for everyone.

“Nightmares happen, just like shit does. Besides, I don’t need my beauty sleep … I’m pretty enough already.” Lou quipped, winking at her. She chuckled in response, her heart loosening a bit.

“Speak for yourself big guy. I just ain’t fit for human companionship without my 5 hours of shut eye.” Freckles responded.

“I’m really sorry.”

“No worries, Grace. Come downstairs and have some tea with us while we wait for Dominic to come home.” Danno said, smoothing her hair back. She nodded, suddenly feeling like she was 9 years old all over again. 

“This is what happens when you don’t check the bed for monsters for me, Danno.” she grinned at him and he barked a laugh out.

“I’m so very sorry Monkey. I’ll rectify that as soon as you’re ready.”

***

It was dawn when they came back to Chin’s house. Grace ran for the door, ready to wrap herself around Dominic and never let him go … but Dominic wasn’t with them. She swallowed hard and went back inside to wait and hear what happened.

“We missed them. They left the house they were in and there’s no trace of where they might be. They haven’t left the island, that we can be sure of. We just have to figure out where on the island they are holed up.” Hook was updating everyone. Grace’s stomach was turning into a ball of ice but she managed to thank them for going, hugging everyone.

“If it’s alright, I’d like to go to Dominic’s place and start cleaning it up. Can someone come with me?” Grace asked the assembled Clubs. Freckles told Hook and Shakespeare to go with her and she smiled in thanks before going to find Malia and thank her. Turns out, Malia was already organizing the ‘Auana women to head over to Dominic’s to clean up for them so she brought Grace along with her.

Almost every Pup that rode with the Wolves was at Dominic’s, guarding the house. When they saw Grace, they smiled in silent support. There were even a few hangers-on at the house helping to watch over the property. 

Amy, Renee and a few other ‘Auana women were already at the house, waiting for Grace. They hugged her before going inside and starting the process of getting the house cleaned. Pups were called in to get rid of the broken furniture, measurements were taken for the broken windows and every surface in the house was scrubbed clean. They were there all day, Grace being kept busy with scrubbing, polishing and re-arranging things. At one point, someone asked her to look at something and asked if she liked it. She had vague recollections of dark wood and bronze handles but nodded because it seemed very Dominic like. A few hours later, a new bedroom set was delivered and it was the picture she’d agreed to. When she looked at Freckles (who’d arrived an hour ago) he shrugged and told her not to worry about it. She got back to cleaning. 

They were going into 2 days that Dominic was missing now. Eventually, cleaning the house wasn’t going to be enough. She wanted her Wolf now.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes it's short but I'm writing a TIMESTAMP for it.

The house was clean. She’d even gone ahead and re-arranged a few things in the house (arguably she’d done it because it would make more sense if he were coming home injured). She’d done the laundry, did the dishes, made dinner for the women who’d helped to clean the house as well as the Wolves and Pups. Now, it was night and there was nothing more for her to do. She’d been brought home by Freckles and a couple of Pups, delivered to Danno who had brought her in the house and put her to bed. 

She was trying to sleep but her brain wouldn’t shut off. She kept thinking of where he could be, what might be happening, who was hurting him. She still had that ice ball of anger sitting in her belly and it wasn’t going away; the longer he was gone, the colder and angrier she became. Realistically she knew they were doing everything they could to find him but she couldn’t help but want to help somehow. She tried to imagine how Dominic would handle it and rejected the idea; she didn’t have the ability or the freedom to do something like that. Danno and Steve’s way was also rejected for the same reason. Slowly her brain came around to Malia.

Malia had always said the First Lady of a Club is the bone that supports the muscle. Which meant there was a First Lady somewhere in Minneapolis that was supporting what was happening in Oahu. Grace threw her covers off and went over to her laptop and started searching for pictures and any information she could find about “Hans” and “Andrew” and “Valhalla”. She wasn’t coming up with anything until she realized that arrest records were public information. Unfortunately she realized it was 2:30 in the morning in Minneapolis so there was no way she could call and find out anything but she had an ace in the hole. 

(GWM: Hey Toast, u up?)

She waited a few minutes and sure enough the response came in.

(TOAST: what can i do 4 u)  
(GWM: How do u feel about hacking into police records 4 me)  
(TOAST: where)  
(GWM: Minneapolis)

Her phone fell silent and she started to worry she’d overstepped her bounds but then her phone chimed again.

(TOAST: What am i looking for)  
(GWM: Looking for valhalla members with a record. hans or andrew. no last name)  
(TOAST: should i ask y?)  
(GWM: probably not)  
(TOAST: is SEAL or Danno gonna be upset at me)  
(GWM: doubtful. looking 4 first lady of club)  
(TOAST: shoulda started with that. hang on)

Once again her phone fell silent and she was chewing her lip. This time, it took longer and it wasn’t a text, it was an email. When she opened it, she had a name, an address, a phone number and a picture. 

(GWM: Once again u prove u r a god of tech)  
(TOAST: of course. u owe me a dum dum)  
(GWM: next time i c u)

Now that she had the information, she did a google search for Bettie Olson and managed to tie her to Andrew Olson. Tying her to Andrew Olson gave Grace an edge that she could use. She closed her laptop after printing the information off and crawled back into bed, finally able to sleep.

***

“Malia, I have a protocol question for you.”

Malia turned and looked at Grace, tilting her head. “A protocol question? Protocol about what?”

“I had a thought last night because I couldn’t sleep. You said we’re the bone that supports the muscle. So that means there’s a First Lady in Minneapolis. Is there a protocol for a First Lady to reach out to another First Lady?”

Malia paused for a moment, thinking. They were at Dominic’s house once again, cleaning the spare bedroom and changing the sheets (and the layout of the room). “I don’t know that there is a protocol but I would definitely say you want to run that idea by Chin and Freckles before you actually make the call. You don’t want to do anything that would interfere with what they are doing to find Dominic.”

“I will, but I wanted to ask you first to make sure there wasn’t already a protocol in place.”

“What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking that she has a son on an island that is only 600 square miles who doesn’t know the island as well as we do and certainly she’d want to have her son home in the same condition he left in so it’s in her best interest to convince him to let my Wolf go before we inevitably find him,” Grace smiled but she knew there was an edge to it. She was done waiting.

Malia smiled and there was an edge to hers as well. “I think that’s the most diplomatic way of encouraging cooperation I have ever heard. Well done. But still, talk to Chin and Freckles first. I’m pretty sure they are at the house.”

15 minutes later Grace was standing in Chin’s office with Freckles and Meka.

“I’d like to try something that might help us find Dominic. I’d like to reach out to Bettie Olson, the First Lady for Valhalla and Andy’s mother and let her know that it’s in her son’s best interest to let my Wolf go now, while we can still chalk it up to a misunderstanding as opposed to waiting until we DO find them and then who knows what might happen.”

“So you want to diplomatically threaten her.”

“Nope. It’s not a threat, it’s a statement of fact. We have some pretty remote areas on this island and her son and his crew don’t really know the island at all. It could be that we find them after something tragic has happened, like falling over the side of a mountain or they get lost in the woods. I’m encouraging her to cooperate with me to ensure everyone comes home safely.”

“You’ve spent entirely too much time around your father,” Meka said with a laugh.

“I presume you already have her contact information?” Chin asked.

“I do.”

“Should I ask how you came by this information or just send cherry dum dums out into the ether?”

Grace smiled and said nothing.

“Go ahead. It’s almost 5 o’clock on the mainland so if you’re going to call, now’s the time.”

Grace sat behind Chin’s desk and dialed, waiting for the other end to pick up. Once it did, Grace led the conversation.

“Hello Bettie. You and I haven’t been introduced properly but my name is Grace Williams-McGarrett, First Lady Jersey Wolves out of Honolulu. You doing alright today?”

“And you’re calling me why, bitch?”

“Well that’s not very polite but we’ll let that slide. I’m calling you because right now, you and I have a unique situation in front of us. Right now, what we have is a misunderstanding that has gone on for too long. Your son along with a few of his friends came to this island and they took my ol’ man, President of the Jersey Wolves branch of ‘Auana. Now I’m sure they thought they were doing the right thing … saving face and respect for themselves. We can understand that. If our President had been humiliated or injured, we would be very upset too.

“But I need you to understand something, Bettie. Your Club started this. Your Club took my career away from me with 2 bullets after suggesting some incredibly inappropriate things to a then 16 year old girl. We were willing to let that go but now, we find ourselves with members of Valhalla on an island that is about 1/6 of the size of your state. That’s pretty small and I’m sure they don’t know the island as well as both the Jersey Wolves and the ‘Auana Clubs that are currently looking for your son.”

Grace let that information sink in for a minute before continuing.

“I’m thinking that if you were to reach out to Andy and tell him to let Dominic go, we can consider this matter closed. No further action on either of our parts, provided Dominic is still alive. Of course, if Andy chooses not to listen to sound advice then eventually we are going to find him. And I cannot guarantee his safety, Bettie. We have some pretty remote areas on this island and people who don’t know the terrain sometimes get hurt or lost permanently. Now, I’m sure that you can understand my position in this, ya?”

“Your Dominic almost killed my husband. Whatever hap-”

“And I killed your Secretary because he threatened me. Would you like me to come to Minneapolis and we can have this discussion in person? I’d be more than happy to be on the first plane out of Honolulu.”

“What are you gonna do? You’re a fuckin kid.”

“I’m sorry. Did I not properly introduce myself? Let me fix that. You know my name, Grace Williams-McGarrett. My father is Danno Williams, who I’m sure you’ve heard of. My step-father is Steven McGarrett, former Navy Seal. My mother was Rachel DeFuria, of the Newark DeFurias. I’m engaged to the most ruthless enforcer Newark has ever seen, short of my Dad. I was raised in Newark, with the Big Red Machine and then down here with the ‘Auana Club. What do you think I could do, Bettie?”

Once again, Grace was met with silence and she let it stretch out. Her stomach was in knots and she was fighting to keep her voice level and calm. Finally there was an answer from Bettie’s side of the conversation.

“You do what you have to, little girl.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way. My condolences on your losses.” Grace hung up the phone and turned towards the men in the room, who were all looking at her with a mixture of pride and a hint of admiration.

“You have definitely spent far too much time around us. That was beautifully done.” Chin tilted his head in respect.

“Doesn’t get us any closer to finding Dominic though.”

“Not exactly true. I’m sure she’ll call him now and tell him to be wary and possibly convince him to move again. We have this entire city covered, even in Yakuza territory. They peek their noses out, we’ll know about it. You did a very strategically good thing and I’m impressed you thought of it. I’m sure Dominic will be proud of you as well.” Chin smiled as he spoke before motioning her out of his chair.

Grace smiled and made her way out of the office and headed back to Dominic’s house with her 4 man Pup escort. 

***

“Grace. Wake up Grace.”

Grace opened her eyes, instantly alert and awake. She turned her head towards the sound and it was Danno, standing by Dominic’s bed. 

“What’s going on?”

“They stuck their noses out. Steve and I are heading out with the rest of the Club to go get Dominic. I’m leaving the Pups, a few ‘Auana prospects and Malia will be here in a few minutes along with Kono and Amy and Renee.”

Grace threw the covers off, where she was still fully dressed. “I want to come with you.”

“No.” Danno’s voice was not open to negotiating.

“It’s been 3 days Danno. I need to see him.”

“And you will. When we bring him home. Stay here, Grace so I know you’re safe.”

Grace huffed but nodded her head. “Not your daughter, just a distraction.” she mumbled under her breath. Danno stopped short and looked at her.

“It’s something Malia told me the day Dominic was taken. In cases like this, where the Club already knows what you are doing and how to work together, another person isn’t a help, they can be a hinderance. I get it. Monkey loves you Danno. Bring my husband home.”

Danno looked at her funny for a moment before smiling in a weird sort of way and slipping out the door. She made her way downstairs in time to see them all pulling out and to open the door for Kono and Amy. It would take longer for Renee and Malia to get here.

“I’ll put the coffee on. I have a feeling this is going to be the longest night of my life.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Promised TIMESTAMP: [The Rescue](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9498698/)


	27. Chapter 27

The waiting was going to kill her. Even surrounded by the women of the Club, Grace couldn’t stop the nervous energy that ran through her body and she found herself fidgeting more than normal. She brewed coffee, chopped up vegetables for a soup, put dishes away … anything to keep her hands busy and keep her body moving. If she was concentrating on something else, she wouldn’t think about what might be happening … what Dominic might be going through. Kono and Renee helped her to put the soup together while Amy and Malia started folding leaves for lau-lau to steam. There was enough food in Dominic’s house now that he wouldn’t have to shop for a good long while. Grace had blushed with the knowing smiles of the other women in the Club when she’d started moving things around in the kitchen and making it work for her. 

“Amy, when we came here a few months ago, do you remember these stools being at the island?” Malia asked, her tone full of teasing laughter.

“You know, Malia, now that you mention it … I don’t recall Wolf having his pots and pans under the cabinet like that. It’s almost like someone moved them around. I wonder why someone would do that?” Amy was giggling as she responded.

“Did you see the living room? There’s more furniture in there than I ever thought Dominic owned and it’s all very nice. I never knew he had such a good eye for interior decorating.”

“Brah has throw pillows. I’m impressed,” Kono responded.

Grace found herself giggling along with them and it felt okay. She shook her head as she continued chopping vegetables. “So I made a few executive decisions regarding his living arrangements. That living room was crying for something more than a couch and a TV on the floor and I found that whole set on a Facebook yard sale site for like $200. And the kitchen … let’s face it. My man is many things but a good cook is not among his talents. And if I’m going to be here taking care of him, I don’t want to have to climb the counters to reach a strainer.”

They all laughed and a little more of Grace’s worry eased. Dominic was coming home; her Wolves would make sure of it. He’d be here to recuperate in his new bedroom set and Grace would take care of him just like he took care of her after Minneapolis. And thinking of Minneapolis, she really hoped Andy Olson was around for a bit. She wanted to have a conversation with him and send a message back to his mother. She knew she probably wouldn’t have the opportunity but she wished for it in the back of her mind. Valhalla had fucked with the wrong she-wolf and she was going to make sure they were aware of that, one way or another.

***

When Malia’s phone rang, Grace jumped and couldn’t take her eyes off the other woman. She needed to know … needed the reassurance. When Malia smiled and nodded at Grace, she felt the ice around her heart melt. Dominic was coming home. She ran upstairs and pulled the sheets on the bed back, making sure Malia’s set-up was close to the bed and made sure the doors were both open, in case someone had to carry him in. 

“Grace, Dominic’s in pretty bad shape but he’s on his way home. He’s in and out of consciousness but from what Danno told me, his injuries are things I can take care of here instead of taking him to Queen’s. I need you to hear me,” Malia said as she held Grace’s hands. “Once he gets here, I’m going to need room to work and that means I need you to be strong for the both of you. He’ll need to know you’re here and that he’s safe but then I’m going to need to start working on him and he’s probably going to yell and that instinct to protect your man is going to be hard to ignore but trust me. I’m not hurting him any more than I have to and I’m only doing it so he’ll heal properly. Can you do that for me?”

Grace nodded, steeling her heart and her nerve. “I can do that. I’m glad he’ll be in your hands, Auntie. I might freak out a little but I promise I’ll do it where it doesn’t interfere.”

“Good. I knew you’d be strong.”

“Of course she is. She’s one of us,” Kono said, hugging Grace close.

Amy and Renee both hugged her close and whispered their congratulations in her ear that Dominic was coming home. 

It had been 6 hours since the men had left to go get Dominic but the 30 minutes it took between Malia’s phone call and their arrival was the longest of Grace’s life. Watching her Dad carry Dominic in the house over his shoulders made Grace sob out loud; seeing him laid out on the bed and the condition of his body made her rage so bright she felt it tingling in her fingers. But she managed to tamp it down and smile for him, teasing him lightly about trying to get out of their vacation. He tried to say something back but she could see how much it hurt him and instead she saw all his love in his eyes. She squeezed his hand one more time, assuring him she’d be right outside and she managed to hold herself together long enough to walk out of the room and close the door. 

She managed to hold herself together as she walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. She managed to get bowls down from the cabinets and put them out for everyone so they could have some soup. She couldn’t say anything … if she opened her mouth she was going to lose it and she had a responsibility to be strong. She had a responsibility to take care of the men who brought her Wolf back to her. Amy and Renee sensed her mood and covered most of the talking, letting the men know to help themselves to the soup. Grace smiled appreciatively before she slipped away to the garage. 

She wasn’t sure how long she was out there, pounding on the heavy bag Dominic had hung for them both to use but her arms were tired and her face was burning hot with tears. Amy had come out to find her, letting her know Malia was done and Dominic was asking for her. She held a cold cloth out to Grace for her face and she smiled. “Thanks Amy. I really couldn’t have done tonight without you guys.”

“We’re Ohana Grace. We’re Club. This is what we do. Now go see your man before Malia dopes him so he’ll sleep.”

Grace hugged Amy and dashed through the house and up to the bedroom. Malia was just finishing putting her things back into her bag and she looked up, smiling.

“Your Wolf is a stubborn bastard but he’s strong.”

Dominic snorted a laugh from the bed as Grace stepped towards him, sliding her hand over his and sitting astride the mattress. “What does he need?”

“Well, I had to tape up his ribs because a few of them are broken but I don’t think there’s any internal damage. His shoulder was dislocated so that’s going to be swollen for a while and tender but I managed to pop it back into place. Sadly, his jaw was also dislocated which is why he won’t be doing any talking for a while. I have him wired and he’ll be doing soups and pudding and other slippery, no-chew foods for a while. His face will probably swell a little more than it is now and we can control that with Ibuprofen and Tylenol. I’ll write a prescription for something stronger, in case he needs it and have someone drop it by in a few hours. I’ve given him something for the pain for now so he’ll probably be pretty tired. Don’t let him out of bed without help and try to keep him from rolling around too much.”

“So … lay on him until he heals. Got it,” Grace said, giggling with relief.

“I just give the instruction. How they are interpreted is entirely up to you,” Malia said with a smile as she stepped out of the room and gave them privacy. 

“So you can’t talk so I’m going to take this opportunity to tell you a few things without interruption,” Grace began, leaning forward to kiss his forehead. “I love you. The last three days have been hell and once you’re able to get up and move around you’re going to see I made a few changes, like you now have an actual living room set instead of just a couch and your kitchen is easier for me to move around in it because … well … I love you but you don’t cook and I do so it makes sense for the kitchen to be easier for me. I’ve been sleeping here the last few days and so I have a few things in the closet but I can take them with me if it’s too much because I don’t want to be THAT ol’ lad-” Grace was interrupted by Dominic putting his fingers against her lips. She looked at him and saw him manage a very small smile and nodding his head. He pointed to his phone, just out of reach and she handed it to him. 

(WOLF: this is our house. u make whatever changes u want. just dont bankrupt us)

Grace laughed and squeezed his hand. “Facebook yard sale. Completely on sale and I paid for it out of my mad money allowance. I’m glad you’re okay with it and yeah, these last couple of days I’ve been basically living here.”

(WOLF: i know. heard danno talk on the way here. woke up a lil)

“Oh god. Was it a typical Danno panic?”

(WOLF: apparently u r nesting. danno thought we got married behind his back and u are preg. steve set him str8)

Grace laughed and shook her head. “I should leave my tablet out on the table at the house open to a baby name website.”

(WOLF: u trying to get me killed?)

“No, mio lupo. Never. Just thinking out loud about how hysterical Danno’s freakout would be.”

(WOLF: u can start moving ur stuff here whenever u want. i love you)

“I love you too. I’m so sorry for what happened to you. I am really hoping to have the chance to show them how sorry I am.” Grace could feel her face tightening and that rage was back.

(WOLF: heard u were pretty badass with bettie. so proud of u)

Grace beamed and leaned forward to kiss his lips gently. “I merely advised her of all the dangers that exist on our island when you don’t know the terrain. And I may have intimated that I’d be willing to come explain said dangers in person.”

(WOLF: my badass queen. glad ur on my side)

“I’ll always be on your side, my Wolf King. I love you and I’m glad you’re home but you need sleep. Close your eyes for me.”

(WOLF: stay with me. u told malia u were going to lay on me)

Grace very carefully climbed into the bed beside him and curled against his side, her head resting beside his on the pillow and her hand on his bare chest. She figured she would lay with him until he fell asleep and then go downstairs to play hostess. She had to thank everyone for going out and bringing him home, ensure they knew how appreciative she was for everything they’d done. But once she was laying with him, his warmth seeped into her body and she couldn’t quite bring herself to get up. She snuggled a little closer and felt his arm slide under her shoulder and pull her closer. She put her head on his shoulder and let exhaustion take over.

***

He didn’t want to open his eyes because this might be a dream and if it was a dream, he didn’t want to wake up. He could feel Grace beside him with her arm stretched across his chest and her legs intertwined with his; he could hear the snorts she emitted whenever she slept on her stomach. But his brain started to wake up and he remembered his rescue, the pain Malia had to put him through to reset his shoulder and jaw … he remembered his text conversation about it being their home, not just his and he risked opening his eyes. 

She was there. She was there in his bed … their bed. Her hair was spread out across the pillows (he didn’t want to think about how knotted it was) and she was pressed up against his side and his heart pounded in his chest. This was his future (currently drooling on his chest) and he hummed happily. She stirred and cracked an eye open but he knew she wasn’t really seeing him. There was no coffee and she hadn’t showered yet; her brain wasn’t operating yet. He stroked his hand over her forehead, trying not to catch his fingers in any snarls.

“Mmm. Flshood.”

He chuckled and another eye opened. There was a second or two before she recognized anything and then a sleepy smile spread across her face.

“M’woof ish cmfee.”

He wished he could respond to her but his jaw was wired. Instead he pressed his fingers against his lips and then pressed them to hers.

“Luff m’woof. Sh’wer.”

He nodded and moved his arm from underneath her shoulders so she could get up, which she didn’t do right away and he was perfectly okay with. Waking up like this was never going to get old for him. 

Finally, after a few minutes, she leaned forward and kissed his chest before rolling out of the bed and stumbling towards the en suite shower, calling over her shoulder, “Stay”. He may have made a woofing sound behind his teeth that made her giggle. He heard the shower come on and he took out his phone.

(WOLF: Status?)

It took a few minutes but his phone pinged with a reply.

(FRECKLES: your alive.)  
(WOLF: yes, smartass)  
(SHINY: we figured Ma would have you on silent mode til you heal)  
(TECH: valhalla is @ the clubhouse. were having polite conversation)  
(WOLF: grace is in the shower so i have 2 minutes. keep me updated on valhalla.)  
(SHAKES: they are getting our finest hospitality, courtesy of seal and gutch atm)

Dominic heard the shower turn off and he chuckled. She really did take 3 minute showers, he’d always thought it was just a joke.

(WOLF: keep me posted on plans and outcome)  
(FRECKLES: keep our FL happy)  
(WOLF: i try every day)

Grace came into the room wearing a pair of shorts and one of his t-shirts with a brush in her hand as she tried to brush out her hair. 

“I really need to get my hair trimmed. Tell the boys I said hello and thank you.”

(WOLF: grace says thank you and hello)  
(SHAKES: no reason to thank us. we did what pack does.)  
(SHINY: lie. we only went because she’d have torn us a new one if we lost u)

Dominic managed a laugh from that one that sent a spike of pain through his entire body and he winced. Grace took the phone away from him and sent another text out before showing him the screen.

(WOLF: this is grace. he’s going radio silent now so he can heal. love u all)

“Alright, I’m starving. Are you hungry?”

Dominic nodded and rolled towards the side of the bed away from his broken ribs. Grace was there in an instant, wrapping his arm over her shoulders and helping him to stand up. He tried not to lean against her too much, thinking it would be too much but she proved him wrong. With her legs planted, she managed to heft him up so his ribs didn’t have to work so hard.

“This is what we do, mio lupo. You helped me in Minneapolis, I help you here. Now c’mon, let’s get you to the bathroom so you can take care of all that and then we can go get breakfast. I’m thinking spam and eggs.” She smiled up at him and walked with him to the bathroom. Once he was safely holding onto the counter, he shooed her out of the room so he could piss and wash his face. 

Taking a good look at his face in the mirror, he winced. Dark circles under his eyes, black bruises on his jaw where it had dislocated, yellowing bruises under his jaw. Looking down at his body, he could see the rainbow array of bruising against the stark white of the tape on his ribs and he knew that bruising went all the way down his body. Last night, Malia had very respectfully and carefully taken his jeans off and put him into a soft pair of flannel sleep pants. He didn’t have the energy last night to look at his legs and he realized he didn’t want to look today. He carefully ran a damp rag over his face, under his pits and across the rest of his body to at least feel a little fresher before taking care of his bladder. Finally he managed to knock on the door for Grace and she came in, supporting him as they made their way downstairs.

Once they were in the kitchen, there was a note on the island from Malia.

“Coffee’s ready to go, just hit brew. Amy made some burritos for Grace, they are in the tupperware in the refrigerator. Steven brought over a smoothie blender and ingredients for his “morning blast”, which he said Grace would know how to make. He also brought the table and chairs in the kitchen. We cleaned up as best we could and there was no soup leftover after your Wolves finished. Love you both. Rest as much as possible. Call your fathers when you get up. Malia”

He heard Grace gasp slightly and he looked at her, then followed her gaze to an older looking soft grey table and chairs. He looked back at her curiously.

“This is … wow. This table used to be in Dad’s old house and when the house was pretty much totaled one night by a Yakuza squad, this table was the only thing he kept. His father made the table for his mother. See, come sit and you can see the table better.” Grace supported him again, leading him over to the table and sitting him down in one of the chairs. From here, he could see 2 bullet holes in the otherwise smooth surface of the table. He ran his fingers over them and discovered the bullets were still embedded in the wood.

“Can’t dig them out without doing more damage to the table so they decided to leave them in. Dad sealed the whole top of the table before he put it in the garage. I didn’t think I’d ever see this table again. I was sitting there when the shooting started.” Grace pointed to the side of the table furthest from the bullet holes. Dominic looked alarmed and raised his eyes to hers. “Dad heard something and he was yelling for me to hit the ground before the first bullet came into the house. I was on the floor when the windows blew out and I crawled across the floor until Danno got me and put me into the saferoom under the stairs. We should look into getting one of those for this house, if we stay here long enough.” 

She kissed his head and moved towards the refrigerator, taking out what Dominic assumed were the smoothie ingredients, while dialing her phone and putting it on speaker. Putting the phone down, she started slicing a fresh pineapple into small chunks and tearing something green into shreds. When the phone was answered, Danno was on the other end.

“Morning Monkey.”

“Morning Danno. We’re up and I’m about to start making liquid breakfast for the patient. Is Dad there?”

“I’m here, ali’i.”

“Thank you. We love the table and you’re right, it fits just perfect in that little spot. I think I might have scared Dominic when I told him about the bullet holes though … he has this look in his eyes like I’m either as crazy as you are or a superhero and he can’t decide which.” Grace was laughing while she spoke to her fathers and Dominic just enjoyed sitting back, watching her in their kitchen like it was an everyday thing. She moved around the kitchen opening drawers and taking out what she’d need and he realized she’d really re-arranged everything. He didn’t even realize he’d had a magnetic knife rack but there it was … with knives even. She even opened a drawer on the island and took out a pair of chopsticks, which confused him at first until she used them to put her hair up.

“Yeah, I’m going to go over what supplies I’m going to need for school today while Dominic rests. There’s enough food here that I won’t need to leave for anything but if you guys aren’t doing anything for dinner, why don’t you come over?”

“Sure. We’ll bring steak.”

“Dominic can’t eat steak, that’d be cruel.” Grace reprimanded Danno teasingly.

“You have that Super Navy SEAL blender. You can make a steak shake.”

“Danno, that’s not even funny … and I’ll go so far as to say it was gross.”

“Don’t worry, Grace. I have a couple of recipes for smoothies that I can email you so you can keep that wolf of yours fed and I’ll bring some protein shakes and puddings by with the steaks.”

“Monkey loves you guys.”

“We love you too, Grace.”

Grace turned around and must have seen the content look on his face because she smiled. “I hope you don’t mind me just inviting them over like that.”

(WOLF: our house) he texted to her.

“Our house,” Grace said with finality, smiling.


	28. Chapter 28

Grace and Dominic were in the kitchen when they both heard the distinct sound of tires on the driveway. When Dominic moved to get up Grace pinned him with a look that had him relaxing back into the chair to continue making the salad to go with their dinner. Grace went to the door to see her father’s truck pulling up with something huge in the bed. She walked out to meet them just as the truck came to a stop and four Prospects pulled up behind them. 

“Danno?” She asked, somewhat confused as her Dad and the four Prospects went to the back of the truck.

“While we were getting the steaks, we realized we didn’t know if you guys had an outdoor grill. A couple phone calls later, we know you don’t so we took the liberty of buying a grill for the house so we can cook dinner when we come to visit.”

Grace felt her whole body flush with warmth and she hugged Danno so tightly he actually squeaked. “Thank you, Danno. Thank you so much. For the grill and for … well, for everything. Monkey will always love you.”

His arms around her shoulders squeezed a little tighter as he whispered in her ear, “You were never supposed to grow up on me but I am so proud of the woman you’ve become. I know you’ll start moving your things here, but maybe give me a few more months at home?”

Grace pulled back and kissed Danno’s cheek. “I’m only here right now because he can’t be left alone. If you want me to come home at night, I can get one of the Pups to stay with him.”

Danno chuckled a little and hugged her again. “The father in me wants to say yes but the realist knows how much that would hurt both of you. Besides, he’ll only intimidate your Pups into letting him do whatever he wants. At least with you here, he’ll actually listen.”

By this time, the grill had been unloaded from the back of the truck and the Prospects were carrying it to gate for the backyard. Grace dashed into the house, stopping to tell Dominic there was a change in dinner plans, and went through to the patio to open the gate. The Prospects carried the grill in and looked at her for where she wanted it. It was her father that directed them toward the far corner, telling her the shaded area would be nice during the day but it was also the most out of the way place so the person doing the cooking wouldn’t always be having to move around other people. 

The Prospects made to leave but Grace, having spied the bag Danno had carried with him through the house, invited them to stay and join them for dinner. They smiled but declined, thanking her for the offer. She went back into the kitchen to check her potatoes.

(WOLF: Was that a grill i just saw?) 

Grace nodded. “Dominic says thank you for the grill,” Grace said to her fathers as they came into the kitchen. 

“We really wanted fresh steak and you two didn’t have a grill, so we brought one with us. We weren’t sure which you preferred, so we went with a gas grill because it’s the easiest one to operate.”

Dominic tried to stand up and Grace was there in an instant, sliding her shoulder under his and helping to support him as he stood. Once he was up, she leaned up and kissed his cheek. “Please wait for me before you try getting up at least for another few days while you heal. I’d really hate to have to borrow some of Dad’s climbing gear to strap you down.”

(WOLF: We can pay them back for the grill theres $$ in the safe in my office)

Grace smirked to herself before answering.

(GWM: Im going to show them this text. Their response is all on you, mio lupo) His eyes went wide for a second as she handed her phone to Danno to read. It took 8 seconds before his hands were pinwheeling.

“Steven, did you see that? Our son offered to pay us back for a gift. You, Dominic Robustelli, are family now and this is what family does for one another. They take care of each other. Plus, this Neanderthal can’t get enough of grilling, including things such as peppers and pineapples so when we come here to see you, he will need his outlet. It’s almost a Pavlovian response. He’s outside, he feels the need to either swim or grill and seeing as you do not live on the beach, our options are limited unless you … Hey now there’s an idea. We can bring you one of those inflatable baby poo-OW! Do you see this? Do you see the abuse I suffer when I’m trying to be nice? You be careful Dominic … Grace takes after Steven sometimes.”

“I only take after Dad when it comes to kicking ass, surfing and stealth. The hitting thing is something he reserves just for you Danno,” she spoke up as she drained the potatoes and transferred them to a large mixing bowl to begin mashing them. 

(WOLF: you haven’t taken up hitting me yet. I must be doing something right, then)

“Keep trying to stand up on your own with those ribs and see how fast that changes, mio lupo.” Grace deadpanned, smirking as everyone began laughing. Dominic plopped himself back down into his chair and finished making the salad. 

***

Dinner was delicious. Or at least, he assumed it was delicious because he couldn’t eat the steak. The smoothie Grace had made for him was delicious and he felt full (even sneaking a spoonful of her potatoes because they were slippery). Looking around the table (still trying not to see the bullet holes and thinking about how close they were to Grace all those years ago) he was filled with a sense of pride and happiness. He’d eaten dinner with just the four of them before but there was something different about it this time; he couldn’t place it until he heard Danno talking about whether they would stay in this house or try to find something closer to UH. This was his family, eating in his home with his woman. This was acceptance of everything they would be and a blessing of it.

“For now, I think we’ll stay here. It’s not such a bad commute on my bike and I have mostly afternoon classes so I’ll miss the traffic on the H1. Once I get my Applied Sciences Associate and I transfer to West Oahu, then we might talk about it but that’s at least a year away and only if I manage to get my degree.”

(WOLF: Of course u’ll get ur degree)

Grace smiled at him. “Remind me of that when I’m hip deep in an engine and have to keep myself from yelling at other students like I yell at the Pups at the garage.”

(WOLF: I need to talk to your fathers about valhalla)

Grace’s smile wavered and he saw the pure rage in her eyes at the mention. He knew she still held that inside and she was itching to get near Andy Olson.

“Dominic wants to know what’s going on with our guests.”

“At the moment, our guests are at the clubhouse. It seems a personal vendetta as opposed to a Club wide move, specifically Andy vs Dominic here. He didn’t take kindly to his father’s condition when we left, apparently. We’ve held off on having any in depth conversation with him because we know Dominic would like that honor. So we’ll hold them until you’re healed enough to deal with them.”

(WOLF: i appreciate that. hopefully sooner rather than later. how many of them are there? i counted i think 4 but im a little fuzzy)

“At the bunker, we rounded up 6 members including Andy. All patched to a very particular group within the Valhalla so we’re thinking Andy was given his own branch, much like the Wolves.”

“Can I see them?” Grace asked.

“Why would you need to see them?” Danno asked, his head tilted curiously.

“I made a call to Bettie. I’m sure she’d want to know her sons were found and that we’re taking care of them since I left her with the impression that terrible things can happen to someone who doesn’t have knowledge of the island.” Dominic noticed the underlying steel in her voice and he shook his head.

(WOLF: u can come with me when i see them. not before. u wont leave enough 4 me)

Grace actually laughed at that one and it was a beautiful sound. 

“Dominic says I’m more of a badass than he is.”

He reached out and tugged her hair gently and mock scowled. 

“I don’t think you need to see them, Grace. We’ll make sure Bettie gets notified we have her son on your behalf,” Steve said, looking at Grace. 

(WOLF: dont worry about it now, mia regina. i promise u’ll get your pound of flesh) Grace smiled at that and rubbed her fingers over his arm before lacing their hands together.

“Do either of you need anything before we go? I brought over a suitcase with some of your clothes and things from your bathroom at home. I wasn’t sure if you had them here.” Danno suddenly looked a little lost and Grace leaned over to kiss his cheek.

“I have 2 pairs of shorts, 4 slippahs and I’ve been using Dominic’s deodorant. I appreciate having my own stuff like you wouldn’t believe.” She reassured him. Dominic silently berated himself for not thinking of having one of the Pups go and get her stuff. Of course, he also liked the fact that she was wearing his shirts. She must have known what he was thinking because she squeezed his hand reassuringly. “With everything going on, it wasn’t a priority but now that things are calming down, I think Dominic might like to have his shirts back.”

(WOLF: i might ruin all ur shirts so u have to wear mine)

Grace blushed at that one and cleared her throat.

“We’re just glad you’re home, Dominic. I emailed Grace with some recipes for smoothies, and I brought over some of my puddings that I eat when I’m working out. You need anything at all, you let us know.” Steve looked at both of them as he spoke.

After that, the conversation was more casual and Dominic enjoyed hosting his family but eventually his ribs started to ache and his shoulder was throbbing a little. Grace turned towards him just as he was about to text her and she smiled gently.

“Would you excuse us? I need to get my wolf upstairs and into bed with his favorite glass of liquid tylenol.”

Grace helped him up and supported him through the house to the bedroom. As opposed to the romantic stripping that he’d always imagined doing in this room with her, she was quick about stripping him out of his pants and putting him into bed. A moment later, she was holding a cup with a specialised spout on the lip for him to sip his medication through. The taste was absolutely vile but the relief it brought was welcome. When she put the cup on the stand, she sat beside him on the bed and ran her fingers through his hair. 

“I’ll be back up in a minute or two. I just need to clean up and say good night to my dads. Try to rest until I get back, okay?”

He nodded, pressing his fingers to his lips and then pressing them to hers. She did him one better by leaning over and whispering her lips over his.

True to her word, it took less than 15 minutes before she was back up in the bedroom, rolling a suitcase behind her that she stowed in the closet for now. She disappeared into the bathroom and he heard her rustling around, the water running and then she came back out. He watched her and he was struck by how beautiful she was as she walked across the room. The light behind her was brief and it outlined her figure inside the shirt (his) that she was wearing. Compact muscle, soft curves, strength and beauty combined into the perfect woman.

As she slid into the bed beside him and tucked herself up against his body he had another realization. His body had noticed how beautiful she was as well and now his cock was hardening. He groaned internally and he felt Grace giggle softly as she slid her fingers from his shoulder down to his chest and then further still to his stomach. 

“If this hurts, you need to tell me,” she whispered against his ear as she slid her hand down and wrapped it around his aching cock. Her hand was just the right mix of soft, velvety skin and callouses that made his cock jerk in appreciation. She started slow, long deliberate strokes back and forth along his entire shaft and stopping just shy of the crown, where he could feel his precum drooling out of the tip. He turned his head to look at her and she was right there, smiling at him with her eyes soft and dark. She leaned forward and gently kissed him, lapping at his lip and nibbling slightly before pulling back and nuzzling her face against his throat, trailing kisses along his collarbone. When she went further, kissing and licking across his nipple and her hand stopped stroking, he realized what she intended. He made a groaning noise in his throat and felt her giggle again, this time against his stomach.

“I love every inch of you and I want to show you how much. We’re a bit limited until you heal but you said you wanted to be my first for everything …” she let the sentence trail off as she lowered her mouth even more and the tip of her tongue barely grazed over his crown. As she lowered her mouth further and her tongue lapped from the base of his now constantly twitching cock all the way to the head before she closed her mouth over the head and gently sucked and his brain just shut off. 

Grace was going to kill him.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was prepared for violence but Albert was feeling ... dirty.

As she slipped under the sheets, Grace had noticed his cock and an idea formed in her head. She didn’t know if it was too soon and she didn’t want to hurt him but she’d been curious since they’d started sleeping together and it seemed a perfect time. Kissing her way down his body had made her stomach flutter with nerves and she found she had to stop stroking him in order to pay attention to her intended goal. The groan he released once he realized what she was planning made her grin against his stomach and she lowered her tongue to get her first taste of him. Her mouth was flooded with the bittersweet taste; not exactly tasty but not totally off putting either. Nuzzling her way down to the base of his cock, she licked back up towards the head and closed her mouth around the head. The bittersweet taste was stronger the second time but she was expecting it so it was less of a shock. Gently she put her hands on his thighs to balance herself and carefully moved her mouth down slightly, taking more of him before coming back up. She didn’t want to rush the experience any more than she wanted to hurt him; she’d had a frank conversation with several friends and had purposefully cleaned her internet history on her tablet after an eye opening afternoon researching … techniques. 

There was a low, warm buzz in her stomach as she moved her head down again, turning slightly to the side and swiping her tongue against his shaft; the resulting groan had her looking up, cock still in her mouth to see if he was hurting. The look in his eyes was anything but hurt and she felt her own wetness between her thighs, hot and slick, respond to it. She held his eyes as she went down again, each time taking a bit more of him and learning the taste of his skin, his precum … learning the feeling of his cock against her tongue and the roof of her mouth. Her stomach was on fire, threatening to consume every inch of her as she watched him looking at her sucking his cock. His eyes grew darker and darker with every dip of her tongue and his hips had begun thrusting up to meet her mouth, something that made her entire body tingle. When she felt him at the back of her throat, she backed away and went back to the shallow sucking she’d been doing. The last thing she wanted to do was choke and ruin everything … maybe someday she’d try going deeper but for now, she wasn’t tempting fate. 

The taste of him was muskier now, less bittersweet and more … she couldn’t place it. But it was something she found she liked, drawing that taste out of him and she alternated taking his cock to the back of her throat versus just swirling her tongue at the head. Every movement brought another groan as Dominic dropped his head back to his pillow and his fingers clenched in the sheets. She was torn between taking his hands and putting them on her shoulders or just letting him decide where he was going to put them. She wanted to feel that connection to him; every inch of their bodies connected. Instead she reached out with her left hand and laced her fingers through his, holding his hand while she sucked and licked at his throbbing and thickening cock.

***

He wasn’t going to survive this. His heart was slamming in his chest and it was taking every single ounce of self control he had in him to keep from slamming his hips up into her mouth to feel every inch of himself buried in that sweetness. He clenched at the sheets as he watched her, seeing the hesitancy and lust fighting for dominance in her eyes. He could smell her slickness even from here and his brain was focusing on what she tasted like … that syrupy apple taste that he’d become addicted to since he’d first tasted her the night she’d given him her virginity. The night he’d lost the last piece of his heart to her when she told him she wouldn’t break. But right now, he felt like he was the one that was going to break … even with the sweet, slow pace she was using, his cock was so close to cumming he had to dig his fingers into his palm and count backwards from 100 in his head to stop it. He didn’t know if her intent was to take him and swallow him but he was determined to last as long as he could because even in her innocence, what she lacked in finesse … she more than made up for with her focus. Every touch, every swipe of her tongue … it was the laser like focus an joy he’d seen her get when she was figuring out a new engine before anyone else. 

His hips had started to rock on their own. He could no more stop them than he could stop his heart from beating. Every time he felt the back of her throat, he’d try not to push but it was getting harder and harder because his body was acting on instinct. He clawed at the sheets to keep from putting his hands on her head and fucking her mouth and he dropped his head back onto the pillow; watching her was driving him insane. Of course, now it was just worse because he couldn’t see what she was about to do and anticipate the sensation; now it was just all sensation. Her mouth was warm, slick and every turn of her head would have him believing she’d done this at least once before if he didn’t know better. Once he had the brain power, he’d have to ask where she learned how to suck his cock; for now, he was fast reaching the point of no return. Her hand sliding into his, lacing their fingers together was the las straw. With his other hand, he reached for her head but he couldn’t reach without bending his body and his ribs weren’t going to stand for that. He tried to wiggle away from her, give her some warning but her other hand slapped his hip and she pulled up to just the head, stroking his shaft with her calloused fingertips. He had to watch … he had to see. He raised his head again and their eyes locked together as his cock started to twitch and pulse, shooting his cum into her mouth. His stomach clenched and a rocket of pain went up through his ribs but it was worth every moment as he watched her taking him, stroking him through his orgasm and then swallowing. Her eyes were glowing, her face flush and there was a sheen of sweat on her body; she’d never been more beautiful.

***

Grace crawled up the length of his body and kissed his shoulder before moving to get out of the bed. Dominic reached out, grabbing her wrist to hold her and she looked at him, confused. She really loved him but she really needed to get this taste out of her mouth. It wasn’t necessarily the taste itself so much as the texture that clung to her mouth. Dominic was reaching for his phone and she waited.

(WOLF: u r amazing)

Grace blushed and smiled at him, resting her hand against his stomach. “I didn’t plan on this and I know for a fact you’re hurting but … I saw you when I got into bed and the idea just popped into my head.”

(WOLF: ur also wet)

She didn’t think she could blush any harder but apparently he was determined to prove her wrong. She didn’t have an answer for him and she just looked down at his violet on his chest, smiling a little.

(WOLF: did i embarass u?)

“No. No I’m not embarrassed. It’s just … I mean … we’ve never really … god okay yes, I’m embarrassed. I’m so hot right now I feel like I could explode but there’s nothing I can do about it. So I was gonna go take a quick shower and brush my teeth.” She couldn’t bring herself to look at him; she was sure he was laughing at how dorky she was.

(WOLF: who said there’s nothing u can do)

Her eyes shot up to his, shocked right down to her toes. “You mean … like … now?”

(WOLF: only if u want to. not trying to pressure u)

She couldn’t quite bring herself to tell him the curl of fire that had gone through her at his suggestion; she could barely acknowledge it to herself. But there was no denying it now that the idea had taken root. She looked around her surroundings, trying to figure out where the best place would be. Somewhere comfortable but where Dominic could still see her without him having to move around too much. She jumped when he touched her thigh and motioned her over towards him. She looked at him confused again and he managed a tiny smile as he patted his lap. That curl became an inferno and she caught her breath, looking him in the eye. 

(WOLF: ride me, my queen)

Grace uncurled herself from the side of the bed and swung her leg over Dominic’s hips, straddling him and feeling his now soft cock rub against her bare pussy. His eyes widened as he looked at her, shock registering on his face. Now it was her turn to smirk a bit as she reached down under the hem of his shirt and ran her fingers over the curls between her legs. Masturbating was something she was familiar with … being in love with a man 4 years older than you are tends to lead to quite a bit of self-love. It was the being watched by said man now that they’d been intimate already that was new … another first. She made sure to look at him, she wanted to see his reactions as she tipped her finger against her labia and slid them down towards her ass. Two fingers slid between her labia, touching her wetness and gathering it on her fingers as her hand came back out from under the hem of his shirt and she dragged them over his lips, giving him the taste of what he’d done to her while she was sucking his cock. When his tongue slid out to get the taste, she rolled her hips forward; coating the softened length of his cock with her wetness just like she’d done to his lips. He groaned loud enough that she was sure the neighbors would probably hear them and she couldn’t stop the giggle that bubbled up out of her. 

“This is a show for you, my wolf … not the entire neighborhood. Shh!”

He winked at her in response and rocked his hips up a little, grinding his not quite so soft cock against her clit. She reached between them, spreading her labia so she could slide a finger against the sensitive inner wall of her entrance and hook her finger up to brush against her clit and his cock. The fire that licked up her spine had her gasping and she rolled her head back on her shoulders to savor the feeling, repeating it again and feeling the pulse of want straight through her body. Suddenly, she felt empty and when she rolled her head forward again, staring at Dominic she knew exactly what she wanted. 

***

She was beautiful and deadly. There wasn’t a single hint of his shy lover in the woman fucking herself against his cock and moaning; she was pure sex. When she’d slid her fingers between their bodies, he’d felt her spreading her lips open but he never expected her to smear the taste of her pussy on his mouth; nor did he expect to feel her roll her body like they were fucking and the heat of her desire coating his entire length. She was burning every ounce of self-control he had away with every slide of her fingers and when her back arched, her head going back it was the end of him. His cock was lengthening again and she was stroking him along with herself; the expression on her face when she looked at him again was something he would remember for the rest of his life. It was adoration and need and love and desperation … it was everything he could feel in his own heart. His hands came out to her hips, rolling their bodies together and watching her fingers come back out from under the hem of his shirt, glistening with how wet she was for him. He needed that feeling … he needed her heat … she brought her fingers up to her own lips and licked them like she’d just eaten a malasada and was licking the sugar off her fingertips. His cock twitched between them … he watched her eyes darken even more as she raised her hips.

Before he could do anything … before he could think of something coherent … before the consequences could even begin to fill his head, she’d sunk down and taken him inside her body. He couldn’t take his eyes off where their bodies came together … the gold of her skin against his own paler skin, the curls between their legs pressing together. He watched as she reached down to the hem of his shirt and pulled it up over her head so they were both completely naked. He ran his hands up her sides as it dawned on him that he was COMPLETELY naked … and he was an asshole of epic proportions but that knowledge had his cock harder and throbbing inside her. He felt her squeezing him inside her already too-tight channel as she pulled herself up … giving him the view of his cock completely coated in her juice with just his head still inside her. He raised his eyes up to hers, watching the expression on her face as she deliberately lowered herself back down again until his length was completely inside of her. 

“Love you. Love everything about you. Love that you take care of me … that you let me take care of you. I love our future and our past … but right now, I need you. I need to feel you inside of me, just you and I … nothing between us, nothing stopping us. I belong to you and you belong to me. I want to go back to Jersey with you. I want to be there when you get your knuckles and put your mark on me. Fangs on my fingers … where would my Wolf mark me, I wonder? Would you put your mark here,” she ran her fingers over her chest, just above her heart, “or would you mark me here?” her fingers ran up to her neck, near to where her father wore Danno’s mark. He shook his head and slid his hands up her body, pulling her forward so their torsos were pressed together. He ran his hand over her throat and gripped the back of her neck, just at her hairline while he stared into her eyes.

He felt the angle change as she leaned forward, making her impossibly tighter and his cock was aching. A voice in the back of his head told him to pull her up, to pull himself out of her. It was a very small voice that grew quieter the longer he was inside her and she milked every inch of him without moving her body at all. She was supporting herself with her hands on either side of his head and her hair fell around them like a curtain; it was just the two of them in this moment and he wanted to say he loved her, he wanted to be with her and tell her how he worshipped her. 

“My neck, hm? Right across the back of my neck so everyone can see your mark … your name. Dominic with a set of fangs at either side for my Wolf.” Grace tilted her hips, tightening around him, bringing him closer while she leaned forward and licked across his clavicle before leaning up to whisper in his ear, “Own me.”

She pulled back so she could look him in the eyes and slid her hips back before taking him all the way inside of her in one quick snap of her hips and he felt her falling over, felt those muscles … that strength … the heat and squeeze as his Queen came on his cock. It was too much … the voice was silent and it was Dominic and Grace, together … he gasped at the pressure in his ribs as his hips shot up and he came inside her, filling her with his second load of cum that he didn’t even think was possible. The pulse of his shaft being squeezed by every wave of her orgasm felt like his entire soul was pouring into her. 

This is what was right; this was his woman as she carefully swung her leg off his hip and settled herself against his side, both of them sweaty with hearts pounding. Guilt would come later, Dominic was sure; he should never have taken her like that until they were ready. But it had been 3 days and they both needed each other. He turned his head, looking at her and seeing the million watt smile on her face.

“No boundaries, Dominic. You’re mine and I’m yours and the world should know. I’ll be 18 in 8 months and I’ll proudly wear your fangs so everyone can see.”

His heart skipped a beat and he reached out for her hand, putting it over his neck and managed to groan out her name through his wired jaw. 

She smiled even wider and rubbed her thumb against the pulsepoint of his neck. “Fingers is gonna think our whole family is nuts.”

He managed to nod and smiled. They were definitely crazy.


	30. Chapter 30

The next morning, Grace woke before Dominic and she took the time to admire him. Despite the bruising that covered most of his body, he was beautiful and last night had been a turning point for her. She hadn’t gotten into the bed imagining it would end with their having sex without a condom but in the moment, it felt right. It even felt right now, in the morning light where she should feel guilty or terrified. This was her man and her future. She was also realistic in knowing it wouldn’t be happening again any time soon and she was almost obsessive about making sure she took her birth control every day so the chances of consequences were almost nil. She smiled as she leaned over and pressed a kiss to his shoulder before she stumbled her way over to the bathroom; the texture in her mouth hadn’t improved overnight and she was desperate to be rid of it. 

Three minutes (and 2 rinses of Listerine in her mouth) later, she came out of the bathroom to find Dominic laying in bed with a look on his face that resembled Danno-level apocalyptic meltdown. She came over to the bed, climbed back in and threw her leg over his thighs, so she was resting against his legs and she could look at him.

“Stop. I don’t know exactly what you’re thinking but I have a pretty good idea of it and I’m telling you to stop. There’s no guilt here, Dominic. There’s no panic. And if the word regret is in your brain, get rid of it. Last night was everything we needed in the moment and I don’t regret a single moment of it. No, we are not going to start doing that all the time and probably won’t do it again until we decide we’re ready to have kids,” the panicked look on his face started to relax but he still had worry in the crease of his forehead. “I take the pill every single day. I have an alarm on my phone to remind me to take it and I have never missed a dose. The chances of anything happening from last night are almost nothing so please, I’m asking you, don’t eat yourself alive with guilt. I’m the one who made the decision and I’m the one that knew exactly what I was doing when I took your cock naked. I love you. I love being with you. I’m not going to start taking unnecessary risks because I’ll be damned if I’m going to miss out on getting my degree.”

She leaned forward and kissed his belly button before looking up from that position and winking at him. “You might, however, be able to convince me to suck your cock again though. You know … once you heal and you can actually speak.”

(WOLF: i love u. i will try not to worry because being inside u was … there r no words. if u rn’t worried, i will try not. u r beautiful and last night was even more. i did want to know where u learned tho)

Grace blushed hotly and bit her lower lip, avoiding his eyes for a moment. “Google … and a few questionable websites.”

Dominic snorted in laughter and held his ribs for a moment. Grace looked up and saw the glitter of mischief in his eyes before he reached for her hips and pulled her up to him so she was sprawled across him. He leaned his head forward and kissed her lips, locking his arms around her torso so she couldn’t get up. 

“What? So I watched a couple of porn videos but they were for research Dominic.”

He chuffed again and kissed her nose.

“Is this your plan, now? To keep me in bed all day long, just sprawled out on top of you wearing a towel and a pair of panties?”

He groaned as he looked at her, a little glimmer of want in his eyes.

“No. Don’t you look at me like that. I need coffee and food and I have to start organizing my stuff for school. Let’s get you downstairs and I’ll make you something to drink.” She leaned forward and kissed his nose before wiggling down the length of his body, leaving her towel against his chest and walking into the closet wearing just a pair of black hi-cut cotton panties. Her heart was slamming in her chest and she wasn’t going to deny the idea of staying in bed all day was enticing but there were things that needed to be done. She opened the suitcase Danno had brought last night and dug through to find a fresh bra, a tank top and a pair of jean shorts along with her shampoo, conditioner, body wash, deodorant (SCORE!), toothbrush, toothpaste and her little make-up bag (which consisted of about 2 tubes of sheer lipgloss and 50 different kinds of lip balm in various flavors). She carried them all out of the closet and into the bathroom before going to help Dominic out of bed and into the bathroom. He eyed the new additions to the bathroom and looked at her, tilting his head.

“Danno brought them last night, remember?” Grace responded, confused as to why he looked the way he did.

Dominic rolled his eyes and shooed her out of the room so he could take care of his morning ritual. Grace stood outside the door, worrying over why he’d had such an expression on his face. He’d insisted it was “their” house … was he regretting it now that he saw how much commitment that meant? No, that couldn’t be it … after almost 4 years of dancing around and dating and almost dating, he knew long ago what family was and how insanely close their Ohana was. 

Finally she heard him knock on the door and she went in to help him; he pointed towards the bed where his phone was sitting and she leaned him against the wall to get it and hand it to him. She helped him down the stairs and into the chair at the table, worrying over his facial expression but trying not to show it as she started slicing up the fresh pineapple and grating the ginger for his breakfast. Her phone pinged and she picked it up.

(WOLF: is that all u have in ur bathroom)

“There might be some hairspray and a hair dryer but yeah … why?” Grace was really confused now.

(WOLF: u srsly are the most laid back woman ever. i was expecting like 4 times more stuff)

Grace rolled her eyes and laughed. “Sorry mio lupo. You’re just going to have to take up all the counter space on your own. But if you touch my lip balm, we’re gonna have words, mister … very strong, cherry flavored words.”

(WOLF: im more a pineapple chapstick kind of a guy)

Grace laughed again while she blitzed his smoothie and re-heated a burrito for herself.

(WOLF: when do u start classes)

“Summer session starts May 22 and goes through June 30. Then the fall semester begins August 22 and that’ll take me through to December. At that point, I should have my credits for graduation and I can apply at West Oahu to finish my Bachelor. If I’m accepted and I stay on track with taking classes all year, I should be ready to graduate with my Bachelors in Applied Sciences in 2 years.”

(WOLF: How far is West Oahu from here)

“West Oahu is actually closer to us than UH is but the location is a mess. Here to UH is gonna take me about 30 to 45 minutes because the campus is in Honolulu itself but I can get down the H1 in the afternoons and miss all the rush. West Oahu, distance wise, is only about 25 minutes from here but it’s all coastal driving and the campus itself is spitting distance to the base housing for Pearl. So I’ll have to deal with all that traffic, but I can figure something out.”

(WOLF: we could move if it’d be easier 4 u. im not tied to this house and its more bachelor crash than home. it was available when i was looking but i want u happy)

Grace smiled and sat down beside him at the table, sliding his smoothie over to him to drink. 

“I’m happy no matter where we live. Besides, I’d rather wait until after everything settles and then maybe look for a place near the garage. Ideally, I’d love to live back on the shore somewhere but those prices are ridiculous.”

(WOLF: what about kaneohe)

“No. Too many old ghosts up there.” Grace winced a little and took a big bite of her burrito. She actually had loved the area but being up there still reminded her of the night Steve’s house had been attacked and sometimes, she still had lingering memories of how loud everything had been. She felt Dominic reach out and squeeze her hand and smile.

(WOLF: we’ll figure it out)

***

Dominic was determined to do two things. The first was to buy Grace her ring, which meant he’d have to go to an actual jeweler. He knew what he wanted to give her but it was going to have to be specially made and his being relegated to the house was not helping. The second was to heal up enough that he could go see Andy. Malia had told him it would take 6 weeks before he could open his mouth and at least that long for his ribs to heal but he was anxious and he knew Grace was as well. He was determined to give her the opportunity to deliver the message she wanted to Bettie Olson and make an impression on Andy. Neither Danno nor Steve would probably approve but they weren’t here when Grace whimpered in her sleep and woke Dominic up. 

While Grace was upstairs stripping the bed, Dominic messaged Freckles to swing by. 

(FRECKLES: 20. im just finishing up work)

(WOLF: freckles is coming by in 20. we’ll be in my office)

(GWM: okay text if u need anything. i’m going to the store in a bit to get some things we’re out of)

(WOLF: take a pup with u)

(GWM: dominic i love u but im perfectly capable of managing a trip to the store)

(WOLF: take a pup with u grace)

(GWM: ur being ridiculous but okay ill get stones to come with me. hes at the garage but hes not working on anything important)

Dominic could feel the aggravation through the floor but in this, Grace was going to have to deal with it. She wouldn’t be going anywhere unescorted while the Valhalla were still on the island and they had no way of knowing if anyone else was coming TO the island to finish what was started. Of course, chances were high that he’d already arranged for a subtle tail when she left for UH but he wasn’t about to tell her that yet.

15 minutes later, Freckles opened the front door and the kid Grace had mentioned, Stones, was with him. 

(WOLF: Tell the kid he’s protecting grace while shes out. i have no idea what she told him when she called)

“Wolf says you’re going with Grace to watch her back today, regardless of what she might have told you.”

Stones chuckled as he answered, “Grace told me she needed me to come with her because she hadn’t grown eyes in the back of her head and her Wolf was busy with meetings. I’ll make sure nothing happens to the Queen, Sir.”

Dominic nodded and the kid went to go find Grace while Freckles helped Dominic up and into the office.

(WOLF: update?)

“They are getting mouthy the longer they are here. Two of his supposed “brothers” have already cracked and have been spilling their guts about what Andy planned on doing. He had grandiose ideas of taking you out, taking Grace for himself and patching over the Wolves to Valhalla.”

Dominic laughed so hard he hurt himself and he had to grab onto his bandages, plus his jaw. It took a few minutes for him to relax and he was grateful Grace had already left the house.

(WOLF: thats an epically motherfucking stupid idea. but hey, kids got balls. too bad i plan on letting grace have ‘em)

“You’re going to bring Grace to see Andy?”

(WOLF: i promised her a pound of flesh. shes fucked up over this and being able to let it out will help her. plus i told andy when he was giving me a beat down that i’d taken worse from my ol lady. gotta let him experience that for himself)

“You know I’ll follow your lead, Dominic. But you’re going to be fighting both of her fathers plus probably every officer in ‘Auana to get her in there. Are you sure that’s a fight you’re willing to take on? We’re a branch and we’re friendly. You’re planning on marrying her so you’re family. That could blow up, very badly, for all of us.”

(WOLF: i plan on talking to SEAL and Danno b4 i bring her. surprisingly im not an idiot)

“Didn’t say you were, asshole.” There was a hint of humor in Freckles’ tone.

(WOLF: asshole, yes. always have been. its part of my charm)

Freckles snorted in response.

(WOLF: i have another problem. Well, two.)

Freckles tilted his head questioningly, waiting.

(WOLF: graces ring. i need to get to a good jeweler on the island and im a little gimpy right now, plus the whole not talking thing)

“Did you already pick out a ring?”

(WOLF: i want to design one 4 her)

“Can you sit in a car?”

(WOLF: i can sit in a chair at the table. can probably do a truck)

“So we’ll take your truck. I’ll do some poking around and find a good jeweler. What’s the other problem? You need me to hold your hand while you cross the street?”

(WOLF: now whos the asshole? no. im thinking about moving. grace said she wants to hold off but she’s pretty much moved in here and she deserves better than this place)

“You thinking about where?”

(WOLF: somewhere on the shore but not kaneohe. she was pretty antsy about that this morning. i think that’s where the bullet table came from.)

Freckles blinked. “Bullet table?”

Dominic made a motion for Freckles to help him up and he brought him to the kitchen, showing him the table.

(WOLF: yakuza attacked seals house when grace was just a kid. she was sitting at the far end of the table when the shooting started. i know this table means the world to her because apparently jack mcgarrett made it for his wife out of driftwood, but i hate it. reminds me of how close i came to never knowing her)

“You got it bad dude. It’s a table, not an active bomb. But okay, nothing up in K Bay. We’re friendly with a couple realtors, I can put the word out.”

(WOLF: thanks Dave. try not to spend more than i can afford, okay)

Freckles choked on his own laughter. “Wolf, sometimes I think you forget how long I’ve known you and how much money your father stashed away.”

Dominic managed a grin and clapped Freckles on the shoulder. 

(WOLF: okay how about this. at least 5 bedrooms, on the water with 3 bathrooms)

Freckles looked at him out of the corner of his eye. “You know somethin I don’t with the 5 bedrooms?”

(WOLF: i dont want to have to move for a very long time so i’m doing it right the first time)

Freckles left after that and Dominic was left to entertain himself, sprawled on the couch in the living room and watching television. He felt good about the decisions he’d made and was already thinking about the expression on Grace’s face when he surprised her on her birthday with a ring and a house.

He really hoped she wouldn’t punch him.


	31. Chapter 31

It had been the longest six weeks of his life but he was finally (FINALLY) getting the wires out of his jaw. Malia had kept checking on him, making sure nothing was going wrong with the healing and she’d decided today was the day. Grace had moved back to her fathers’ house after 2 weeks of staying with him because his ribs had healed enough that he could get up and around on his own with a brace. Neither of them had wanted her to go but she wanted a little more time with them and she still occasionally had “sleepovers” at his house. 

The Valhalla boys, saving for Andy himself, had all rolled on him. So much for loyalty in that crowd; Dominic was disgusted with them and couldn’t wait to be done with them all. Andy was pretty stalwart in his silence and he’d been left alone by everyone in his room; everyone having decided to wait for Dominic. And Dominic was looking forward to his conversation with Andy; perhaps not so much the conversation with Danno and Steve, which was happening this afternoon while Grace was working.

Malia was removing the bandages from around his jaw and holding a pair of wire cutters that she’d told him were specifically used for cutting the arches holding his jaw shut. She’d put a little gauze into his lip to catch his drool and had started cutting.

“You know, I heard a rumor that you were looking for a new house, maybe something a little bigger and a little nicer than this one. And I’m not even going to pretend I don’t know why you’re doing it because I think she deserves the very best of everything. She’s been like a daughter to quite a few of us and watching her grow into her role in your Club has made every one of us extraordinarily happy. Which is why, when I leave here, I’m going to make sure you have a card for a woman that is Club friendly. You call her and tell her that I sent you her way and she will take care of both of you.” 

Malia had finished cutting the back of his jaw and was working her way forward. He was grateful she’d given him a shot of something that made him a little fuzzy around the edges.

“I sent Dave in the direction of a very nice jeweler that worked with Danno and Steve when they got their rings. He does beautiful work and uses native Hawaiian materials in his rings.”

His top jaw was free and now she was working on the lower jaw.

“You’re a good man, Dominic. Always have been from the first day I laid eyes on you and the way you are with Grace is something magical. You’ve managed to help her stay who she is … with her softness and her light … while still fiercely protecting her pack. And not a single one of us, ANY of us, don’t know that you intend to bring her to see Andy Olson when you go. Personally, I don’t think it would do any damage to her to get a piece of him before he goes home but I’m in the minority. If you bring her, you’re going to have to convince everyone else, including Chin. I want you to really think about whether you want to take that fight on for your woman. We all know you’ll do anything for her but this might be something you can’t do for her. You’re a branch and an officer. That can change with the wind, Dominic and that would crush a lot of people. Including Grace.”

Malia had finished cutting and she looked him right in the eye. He could see her determination and her honesty; it churned in his gut. He wanted to do right by Grace and had focused on that through this entire ordeal but what Malia had said was true. Going up against ‘Auana could wind up with his being depatched completely and he couldn’t do that to Grace. He sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face, feeling the difference from when he had a mouth full of wire. 

“Try saying something but don’t open your mouth too wide.”

“Yaw right. I thudent bing Grathe.”

Malia tried her best not to laugh and he could see it in her face but she lost that fight and the peals of laughter echoed through the house. 

“I should have gotten that on video. C’mon, keep trying. Your mouth isn’t used to moving and you really do need to talk to get the muscles stronger again. Until that, you’re going to sound like you’re on a four day bender.”

“Thankth. Thith ith going thew be tho muth fun.” He kept wiping at his jaw as drool escaped the corners of his mouth. “I’m gonna be thuth a badath thalkin do Valhalla.”

“Eh, you’ll get there. You’re already starting to make more sounds. Keep practicing and you’ll be fine but remember what I said about opening your mouth too wide and you want to take it easy with the chewing. Stick with soft food that doesn’t need a lot of chewing and slowly work your way back up to being able to eat a cheeseburger. If you open your mouth too wide right now, you run the risk of fucking up your jaw and needing surgery. And those doctors aren’t as nice as I am.” Malia winked as she put her things away. “Keep wearing the brace when you get up and sit down but other than that, just move carefully. And try not to break anything else when you go see Andy Olson … alone.”

Malia hugged him before she left and the first thing he did was pick up his phone to call Grace.

“Hey! I wasn’t expecting to hear from you for another few hours. How’s your mouth feel?”

“Mouth feelth bedder but i thound sthupid,” he replied, wiping more drool off his face.

“Aww, baby. You sound like the most adorable badass in Hawaii.”

“Pleathe tell me you awent in the gawage.”

“I’m in the office, by myself, with the door closed. No one can hear me, I wouldn’t do that to you.”

“Zusth wanthed to hear your voithe.”

“I love hearing your voice, even if you do sound like you’re half smashed. I’ve missed your voice. Are we having dinner tonight?”

“I love you, Gwathe. Yes, dinner thonight.” More drool wiping.

“I’ll see you tonight. I have a baked ravioli that I can throw together when I get there. I should be done here in a few hours.”

When he ended the call, he felt better for having talked to her but he wasn’t looking forward to their conversation tonight. His next call was to Steve and Danno, letting them know the situation had changed and they didn’t need to meet. Steve didn’t sound surprised and went so far as to mention that he knew Dominic was a good man with a good head on his shoulders. 

***

“Grace I need to talk to you about something and I want you to hear me.”

Grace turned her head towards Dominic, a little red flag going up on her radar. She’d just put the casserole into the oven and they were sitting in the living room with the television on in the background. She was tucked up against his side with her head resting against his shoulder. 

“Okay. I’m listening … what’s wrong?”

She felt him take a deep breath and that flag got a little brighter.

“About Valhalla. I think maybe it might be bedder if you don’t come with me.”

She physically moved her entire body away from his with her arms at her sides and her fingers laced together, looking at him suspiciously.

“And where does this come from?”

“Me. I thought about what the conthequenthes would be if I went up against every member of ‘Auana. Grace, I’d give you the world but I have to think about how it affects everyone, including you. No one wants me to bring you, and that includes Chin. If I fight this, they could take my patch. If they take my patch, what happens then … our Pups? Our Wolves? You? I would never ever risk you like that, Grace. Not for a peithe of shit like Andy Olthon.”

Grace heard him and she dug her fingers into her palms to keep from reacting emotionally. Instead, she tried to be rational about what he was saying and understand the consequences. She knew Danno and her Dad didn’t want her to go see him but she didn’t realize the entire ‘Auana club was against it. In a way, she should have known … in the end, she was an ol’ lady and even as First Lady, women were never involved in the more violent side of Club life. It would set a bad example for other women in both ‘Auana and (eventually) the Wolves. She took a deep breath and finally raised her eyes to look at him.

“I don’t like it, Dominic. I want that little motherfucker to know what happens when you come here and fuck with my boys. I want to hold his hand over one of Kame’s tanks and watch one of them chew it off,” Dominic opened his mouth to interrupt but she held up her hand, “but I realize that’s not going to happen. You’re right. It would be a fight we’d lose and then we’d lose too much. This doesn’t mean I’m happy but I do understand it. Just promise me at least one hit, you’ll make sure he knows it’s from me?”

Dominic opened his arms up and she crawled back into them, wrapping her arms around his waist. 

“This is how I know I fell in luff with the right woman. You think of the Club as much as you think about uth.”

They stayed like that for a while, until the timer went off in the kitchen and Grace went to take out the casserole. Eating at the table, Grace picked at her food and churned around in her thoughts. Yes, she was thinking of the Club and she knew she was doing the right thing as a First Lady; but he had attacked her family not just her Club. And that bitch of a mother had told her to do what she had to, insinuating Grace had no power. Anyone, even a First Lady, thinking another Club had no power was a bad image to put out. 

“Those boys … are they going back to Minneapolis?” Grace asked Dominic.

“The followers will, yeah. Why?” he was eying her suspiciously.

“I know I can’t go see Andy because it would have very negative consequences on you as a President and set a bad example for the women in ‘Auana, or any future women we have in our Club. And it’s important that I keep that image pristine but I also don’t want to appear powerless, especially in the eyes of Bettie Olson. Giving that woman even a hint of blood in the water will come back and bite us in the ass. You didn’t hear her on the phone, Dominic. She was every stereotype of biker bitch all rolled into one 4-pack-a-day habit voice. I don’t want her thinking she got one over on us.”

“Grace, I can’t br-” Dominic started but Grace smiled and put her hand up.

“I know, mio lupo. I’m not asking you to take that fight on. I’m thinking of a way that I can make my point and not risk the Club, your pat … that’s it!” Grace smiled brightly. “His patch. We have his cut, ya?”

“Chin probably has it, yeah. Why?”

Grace smiled in a way that should have made even Dominic nervous.

“A man protects his patch, even over his woman. I think I might go see Uncle Chin tomorrow and ask if I can have his cut.”

Grace dug into her dinner after that, suddenly very hungry and eager for tomorrow.

***

“Hey Uncle,” Grace said as she stood outside his office at the Clubhouse. 

He raised his eyes, his expression softening just slightly from the zen blank stare to one of happiness. “Hey there ali’i … or should I start calling you Grace?”

She chuckled and came into the office to embrace him, whispering in his ear as she did so, “Uncle, I doubt any one of you could remember to call me Grace. You have always respected me and that’s what’s important, not the name you use.”

She felt him chuckle against her before releasing her and gesturing for her to have a seat before taking one beside her. “I appreciate that. You know, I’m getting old now and remembering too many names gets hard.”

“Oh yes Uncle. You’re ancient. Gonna have to get you a trike soon to get around.” Grace rolled her eyes and Chin laughed, long and loud.

“What brings you here?”

Grace sobered and took a breath to steady herself. She wanted to appear mature and responsible.

“I want to ask a favor of you.”

“Grace, I’m not letting you see Andy Olson and that’s final.” Chin’s voice grew momentarily hard and his expression went back to the zen blank stare.

“I don’t want to see Andy Ols … no, that’s not true. I would LOVE to see Andy Olson and beat the ever loving fuck out of him and send his broken body back to his bitch of a mother,” Grace’s rage bubbled to the surface and it took a minute to tamp it back down. “However, I know that’s not going to happen. The Club has always indulged me to a point and I realize that is a point too far. So I’m here to ask for something else.”

Chin eyed her carefully, his expression softening slightly. “I appreciate your honesty, Grace. If you had told me you didn’t want to see him, I don’t know that I’d believe you. And I promise you that every member of ‘Auana and the Wolves that have had time with him have made your message abundantly clear. He attacked your Club and your President, but more importantly, he attacked your future husband. What did you want?”

Grace smiled quietly, hearing someone else refer to him as her husband. “I want his cut.”

Chin’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline with surprise.

“Grace … that’s unheard of. Even an asshole like Olson deserves the cut he’s earned.”

“Chin, I know it’s unheard of but if I can’t get my hands on him to make a point, it shows weakness in my Club. That shows weakness in my President and puts us in a vulnerable position if that information should get out. The Jersey Wolves are a branch of ‘Auana and we want to be strong to support the Mother Club. Sending a powerful message back to Bettie Olson shows that we are as strong as we say we are. So I would like to send his patch back to his mother because I know what it means. I know you or Danno or any guy in the Club would protect his patch over even his woman … Dominic would protect his patch over me … I accept that and know it. So I want that message sent to Bettie.”

Chin took a moment to sit back in the chair, eying Grace critically. She’d never been on this end of Chin’s contemplation and she wasn’t sure how it would come out but she’d made her argument and had been truthful. She felt confident in what she’d said and thought it was a good compromise. She tried not to fidget; this got harder the longer Chin stared at her. Finally he sat forward and cleared his throat.

“You have a valid argument and offer a good compromise. You’re right that showing weakness would make us all vulnerable but we are also insulated out here on the islands. Someone coming into Oahu to like beef with us would have to fly in, en masse, which would be noticed.”

“We didn’t notice Andy and his crew until they got Dominic,” she countered.

“Point taken. However, I’m uncomfortable with the idea so I’m going to ask you to wait. I’d like to call a meeting with the Officers of both clubs and we will discuss it. Is that acceptable?”

“Da kine, Uncle,” Grace responded, chuckling a little. Her heart was a little heavier for having to wait but she knew she would abide the rules and the decision.

She rose up to hug him as she heard a voice behind her that sent fire straight through her veins.

“Aw, ya didn’t tell me this was a conjugal visit with the wolf’s cunt.”

In a flash, before even Chin could grab her, Grace whirled around and was on Andy with a roundhouse that knocked him backwards into the hallway and down to his back. Meka, who’d been beside him and holding onto his wrists was knocked sideways with the force of her kick and Grace saw absolute red. 

She followed him into the hall and then climbed onto him, her fist coming down against his face hard until she felt the jaw bone give. Her legs were wrapped around his chest, compressing his ability to breathe and all she could think of is the condition Dominic had been in when he’d come home. 

“You motherfucker. You think you can come here and attack my husband? My Wolves? You think just because you got your poor little boy feelings hurt that your father was a homophobic prick and his Secretary was a fucking pedophile that you have the right to come to our island and strike out at us without consequence? I’m Grace Fucking Robustelli you piece of shit and I want you to remember that name when they dunk you into the fucking shark tank. I’ll watch them eat you, piece by fucking piece.”

Her fist kept coming down while she spoke and she felt the crunch of bone, even as she tightened her legs. She felt something at her back but it wasn’t a concern; she had her prey right in front of her and nothing was going to stop her. She drew her fist back again, this time taking aim for his already dislocated jaw and having every intention of breaking it when something grabbed her arm and prevented her from bringing her arm down. She twisted, ready to swing at whoever was stopping her from finishing the job and Gutches was there, standing beside her. She struggled to pull her arm free but he held firm and reached around her for the other arm.

“Come on Grace. Let’s get you cleaned up or your husband is going to skin us alive. Come on, girl,” Gutches voice was careful and low, like he was talking to a feral animal but it got through to her. She let him lift her up to her feet and brought her back into Chin’s office to sit down in the chair she’d vacated when she’d heard his voice. Once she was sitting, all the strength ran out of her and she sagged backward, her arms trembling at her sides. Chin was sitting across from her, speaking in that same low tone but she wasn’t really hearing him over the roar of blood in her ears; at one point she thought she heard him say Dominic’s name but she couldn’t concentrate enough to acknowledge it. She licked her lips and she tasted something coppery; she brought her hand up to wipe at her mouth and she saw that both of her hands were covered in blood. She looked up at Chin, her heart stopping in her chest.

“Well … I don’t think anyone is ever going to fuck with any of your Wolves ever again, Mrs. Robustelli.”

Grace’s hysterical giggle burst out of her chest before the tears started, burning their way down her cheeks. Someone was offering her a cool cloth and she used it to wipe at her face and try to clean her hands. She couldn’t stop crying; she couldn’t stop shaking. A warm hand on her back was familiar and she turned to see Danno there, looking concerned; she buried her face in his chest and he wrapped his arms around her, rocking her back and forth.

“I want you to know that I’m blaming your father for this, Grace. A roundhouse? Really? You’re from Jersey … you lead with a left hook, Monkey. Steven, you ruined her with teaching her how to beat a man down … now she’s more SEAL than Jersey badass. Do you know how many meatballs I’m going to have to feed her to get her back to normal? Although I will admit, our girl was very thorough. Very Newark-esque in the follow-up and the execution itself. But still … a roundhouse, Monkey? This is all your fault Steven and if I catch her putting pineapple on her pizza next, I swear I’m divorcing you and going to live with Grace and Dominic.”

Danno’s ranting was comforting in it’s normalcy and Grace managed a very wet laugh against Danno’s chest. She felt her Dad rubbing her shoulders as well, his deep voice rumbling behind her as he answered, “Daniel, relax. She obviously calculated what her best option was before she made her move and realized that because he had a few inches on her, a roundhouse to bring him to the ground was her best bet. A left hook wouldn’t have the same impact and then she’d have lost the element of surprise. And pineapple on pizza is a hallowed tradition on this island, Danno. She’s kama’aina … she should honor her Hawaiian heritage by eating it.”

A moment went by (or maybe it was an hour, who knows) and Malia was crouched down beside her. “Grace, do you think you can stand up and come with me, honey? I’d like to get you cleaned up and take a look at your fists.”

Grace nodded and stood up, letting Malia put her hand on her shoulder. They were heading towards the hallway when she heard his voice.

“GRACE!”

Like a shot, she was down the hall and up in his arms with her legs wrapping around his waist and her face buried in his shoulder. His arms went around her body and he started rubbing her back as he walked back from the direction she’d come. Reaching the office, she heard Malia telling him that she really needed to check Grace’s hands to make sure she didn’t break any bones. Dominic’s chuckle vibrated through her whole body.

“Mia regina, you’re supposed to break THEIR bones, not your own.”

“She did plenty of that,” Gutches answered. “That boy won’t ever be the same. Well, at least for as long as he’s got left.”

“Come by the house in a bit, Malia? I’m gonna take her home and clean her up. Get her out of here.”

“Sure thing. I’ll be by in an hour. Ice her hands, just in case in the mean time.”

“It was nice to visit with you, Mrs. Robustelli,” Chin called after her and she started giggling again at Danno and Steve’s confused looks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a TIMESTAMP! [Chin Ho's take on the day ](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9571220)


	32. Chapter 32

“Robustelli.”

“Dominic, it’s Steve. I need you at the Clubhouse as soon as you can get there. Grace is there and she got her hands on the Olson kid. Apparently, she’s fine but we can’t say the same for the Olson kid. Danno and I are on our way there now but you need to come get her and bring her home. She’s fine … unless she broke her fist beating, according to Chin, “the white off his skin”.”

Dominic was on his bike before he even ended the call. In his heart, he knew he needed to get to the Clubhouse but his brain dictated he go home, get his car and THEN go get Grace. Never in his life did he despise how far his house was from the garage as he did today; he blew every light possible and raced his way along the coast until he was in the garage and trading out his bike for the car. He was pretty sure he turned the ignition off on his bike before he took off in the car but it didn’t matter … he had to get to his woman, which was an even longer ride. By the time he reached the Clubhouse, he was as much a wreck as he’d ever been and he ripped the Club doors open, bellowing Grace’s name (ignoring the searing pain that sent up through his jaw). He heard her before he saw her and, once he had his eyes on her his terror calmed down but his fear skyrocketed. She was supposed to be okay, so why was she so bloody? 

He rubbed her back as he walked back towards Chin’s office, the weight of her body against his grounding him. He noticed Chin and Danno both chuckling at the sight of Grace wrapped around him and he relaxed even more. If Danno and Steve weren’t panicking, Grace must really be alright; so how much of a beating did she get in on Olson? He decided they were questions for later. 

“Dominic, thanks for coming to get her. I really need to look at her hands, make sure nothing’s broken.”

He nodded, whispering in her ear about breaking the bones of the other guy and Gutches assured him she’d done that and more. Dominic wasn’t sure if he was supposed to be proud of her for that but he was; they watched each other’s backs. Which brought another question to his mind … HOW had Grace gotten her hands on him? She was supposed to come here to meet Chin. Again, questions for another time. 

He carried her out to the car and found Shiny, Tech, Hook and Shakespeare standing around his car, waiting. “Lemme guess, someone at the garage called one of you when I took off?”

“Nah. They called me and then I called them.” Freckles came up from behind him. “Took me longer to get here because I went home to get the truck, just in case you weren’t in the right mindset when you left and needed a ride home. Which was, apparently, unnecessary. She alright?” 

“I’m fine. But I really want to go home and shower and get out of these clothes and put some ice on my hands because now that I’m not running on adrenaline and rage … yeah, ow,” Grace responded as she unwrapped her legs from around Dominic’s waist and let him put her down on her own. “And I got blood all over you. I’m sorry, mio lupo.”

Dominic snorted as he opened the door for her. “Because that’s the first time this shirt’s ever been bloody. It’s not like I’ve ever split a finger open at the garage or cracked my head on a tank.”

“Oh, remember that time you used your shirt when that Pup drilled his finger TO the tank?” Tech offered, chuckling.

“We’ll follow you home, make sure you have everything,” Freckles said as he turned back towards his truck.

“Can someone grab a bag of ice on the way?” Dominic asked and Hook nodded. Grace climbed into the car and Dominic went around to the driver’s side, sliding behind the wheel easily.

“I didn’t go after Olson.”

“I didn’t think you did, Grace. One, you knew why I said no and you respect me enough to not do that. Two, you knew the Club didn’t want you to go near him and you respect the Club enough to not do that. Three, you aren’t that girl who’d go behind people’s backs. But I do kinda want to know how it happened, if you can tell me.” He meant every word and he hoped she knew that. He respected his woman and trusted her, there’d never been a thought in his head that she’d gone behind his back.

“I went to go see Uncle Chin and ask about getting his patch. We were in his office and he said I had a valid argument for wanting the patch but he wasn’t comfortable with the idea of handing it over, even for a piece of shit like Olson so he was going to call a meeting of the Officers to ask for a vote. I told him I could wait and when I went to go hug him, I heard Olson behind me. Uncle Meka had him by the wrists and he made pretty gross insinuation about him and I. After that, it’s all red … I remember leading with a roundhouse and I think I might have broken his jaw. At some point, I told him …” Grace started giggling again, the hysterical edge mostly worn away.

“Told him what?” Dominic was curious.

“I told him my name is Grace Fucking Robustelli and he better remember it when the drop him in the shark tank. That’s why Uncle Chin called me Mrs. Robustelli.”

Dominic’s heart jumped up into his throat and he risked a sideways glance. Despite the blood drying on her face and in her hair, his woman was glowing. She was beautiful and everything he’d ever wanted and he couldn’t imagine any part of his life without her. 

Without warning, he pulled his car over to the side of the road. He heard the rest of the Wolves bikes roar across the road and come to a stop but he wasn’t paying attention. He got out and ran around to her side of the car, hearing her yell for him, what the hell was he doing?

He opened the door and pulled her out so she was standing beside the door and he knelt down, reaching into the glove box of his car and taking out the envelope that had been sitting in the car all day. By now the Wolves were all there, standing around them asking what the hell was going on. His heart was slamming in his chest … his fingers were shaking as he opened the envelope and shook out the ring inside. It had been his mother’s ring, the one his father had put on her finger on her 18th birthday and he’d taken it out of storage with the intention of going to a jeweler after work today to start designing Grace’s ring. It wasn’t fancy, wasn’t even very big and the ring itself was going to be too large for her finger but he turned to look at her, still down on his knee and she was already crying and nodding her head.

“Ya gotta wait for me to ask before you start sayin yes, Mrs. Robustelli,” he teased her and she wiped at her face and held out her hand, waiting.

“Grace, since the first time I saw you on the back driveway in Jersey, covered in motor oil and stinking like Lava soap, I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind. The first night we spent together, when I found everything out about you, your riding, your engine knowledge … your ability to handle yourself with a .45 that was almost bigger than your entire hand … Grace I’ve been in love with you since that day. I moved to Hawaii because I couldn’t stand the idea of not being with you and every single day since then has been more of a reward than some asshole kid from Newark deserves. I know I’m tempting fate here by asking for just a little more paradise but Grace Williams-McGarrett, will you please make me the happiest wolf in the world and marry me?”

There was no sound in the world … everything was silent, even on the side of a highway, as he waited for her answer. He held his breath and he was pretty sure even his heart stopped beating as he held the ring up for her. All he could see was the shine in her eyes while tears went rolling down her cheeks and she was nodding. As soon as she said yes, all the sound came back to the world and he slid the ring onto her finger and stood up, scooping her into his arms and kissing her. He could taste the salt of her tears, the blood on her face and the happiness in the world. He could hear his Wolves howling and congratulating them but he only had eyes for his Queen. Their foreheads pressed together, her brown eyes were sparkling as she looked up into his face.

“I love you, Dominic. From the same moment, I knew I loved you. My firsts, my lasts and all the things in between. I love you.”

Dominic laughed and swung her around, kissing her again before putting her on the ground again so she could stand on her own two feet. Almost immediately, they were surrounded by Grace’s Wolves, hugging and kissing and congratulating them. Grace couldn’t stop crying with happiness but at one point, as she reached up to wipe the tears away from her eyes, Dominic put a stop to the merrymaking.

“Let’s continue this elsewhere … like maybe at the house … after we put her hands in ice.” Dominic held up her fist and the Wolves were already back on their bikes. Her hand was swelling pretty big and she’d slipped the ring off her finger before it got too hard to remove. He was behind the wheel heading towards the house, one eye on her hands, one eye on the road.

“You know I love you, right?”

“Well you did just say yes so I’m assuming you at least like me.”

“Good. I want you to know that I love you … just in case Danno kills the both of us for getting engaged at the exit for Paradise Cove Luau on 93 instead of somewhere that he could be there.”

Dominic smiled over at Grace, rubbing his thumb on the side of her face. “If he kills me, you’re worth it.”

***

Grace sat in the passenger seat and swallowed down everything that had happened since she woke up this morning. She’d had breakfast with Danno around 9, swung by the garage to pick  up some paperwork he’d asked her to start looking at (the closer she got to 18, the more he involved her in the business side of running the garage. She was starting to consider having a double major and taking some business courses at UH as well) and gone to see Uncle Chin. Pretty normal, nothing out of the ordinary.

Now it was pushing 1 in the afternoon and she’d beaten Andy Olson so bad she had his blood covering her clothes, in her hair and all over her hands, she was pretty sure she’d broken at least a few fingers because of the swelling “and oh! by the way! you’re engaged!” her inner monologue helped her to remember whenever the goofy smile she was sure her mouth would never stop making wasn’t reminder enough.

She looked over at Dominic. The engagement was a sort of surprise … they’d talked about it and she was at least 60% certain that there’d be a ring at some point. When he’d first pulled over, she thought something was wrong with the car or one of the Wolves; she was NOT expecting him to get down on a knee on the side of the freakin highway and pull out a beautiful ring and then ask her to marry him in the most romantic way she could ever imagine. She was shaking and crying even before he’d started asking, not realizing she was saying yes already. Hearing him tell her he’d loved her since the day she’d smelled like Lava soap (she KNEW it!), and hearing him bare his heart so openly, she’d tuned out everything … it was just the two of them … Dominic and Grace and she said yes because she’d already belonged to him for almost 4 years. Having the original members of the Jersey Wolves there just made it more perfect … they were her original protectors and had followed Dominic to Hawaii because they loved him enough to accept her. She’d kissed and hugged every single one of them and felt like the sun was shining just for her; at least until Dominic had put a stop to it because … oh yeah, her hand was almost doubled in size. Quickly she slipped the ring off and put it back into the envelope, managing to hand it back to Dominic because her fingers weren’t doing any kind of fine motor skills. 

The throbbing in her hand was pretty significant but she still had that goofy smile on her face but a quick look at Dominic showed he had just as goofy an expression so they were good. 

Pulling up to his house, she saw Danno and Steve were already there, along with Malia and she looked over at Dominic. He looked a little paler than before but he reached over and rubbed her cheek. “You’re worth it.”

The Wolves weren’t far behind and Malia was already ushering Grace and Dominic upstairs with strict instructions for a cool shower and to please take longer than three minutes. Grace giggled as Dad winked at her and mouthed “Four”. Dominic was patient and careful, stripping her clothes off and tossing them into a corner before checking the temperature of the water and stripping himself naked. 

“You know, normally newly engaged couples have sex in the shower,” Grace teased.

“You know, normally newly engaged women don’t have to have their fists looked at because they probably broke at least,” Dominic lifted her hands and looked at them before continuing, “four fingers and a knuckle. Oh and they also don’t have their parents right downstairs, timing their showers.”

Grace laughed as Dominic carefully ran her shower puff over her skin, washing away the blood and sweat and road dirt. He was extra careful with her fingers but she still winced a few times and when he got down to her legs, he pressed a kiss to her belly button that made her laugh and distracted her from the pain in her hands. He was just as careful with washing her hair and working the conditioner through it, rinsing her hair until the water ran clean. 

Once the shower was done, he got her a fresh pair of panties, a set of boardies and one of his t-shirts because it would be easier to put her arms through. He noticed that she was starting to show some bruising on her thighs and he asked her about it but she shrugged. 

“No idea. I know I had my legs locked around his chest … maybe that’s how it happened?”

***

“Fifteen minutes, Grace. You took a fifteen minute shower. I’m so proud of you!” Danno teased as soon as they came down the stairs and Grace managed a little giggle but the way she was holding her hands against her chest told Dominic how much they hurt. Malia directed her over to the table (the bullet table) and had her sitting down and putting her hands into some … well they looked like huge oven mitts. His expression must have given away his confusion because Malia smiled and told him they were cold pack gloves, made specifically for people with hand injuries. She waved him off after that, telling him she’d let him know when she was done. He wanted to stay but Steve wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him outside where Danno was sitting with the rest of the Wolves.

“We have learned when Malia waves you off, you go. She works better when she doesn’t feel like anyone is hovering,” Danno said, visibly fidgety.

“Some of us have learned this. Others still struggle with the concept.” Steve sat down next to Danno, whos arm automatically came up and over his shoulders. 

Dominic took a deep breath and sat down opposite the two men and swallowed.

“So … I know I may have done this a little sideways but I gotta ask you both somethin.”

Immediately both Danno and Steve turned their heads and were focused on him in a way that made his balls want to crawl up into his neck. He rubbed the back of his neck, took a deep breath and met their gaze.

“You both know that I’ve been pretty clear about puttin a ring on Grace’s finger when she turns 18. And since Malia knew, I’m gonna assume you ALSO knew that I was ring shoppin’. Malia gave Freckles over there the name of the jeweler that you guys used for your rings and I had an appointment to go see him today.” Dominic reached into his back pocket and took out the envelope containing his mother’s ring. “I had this in my glove box because I wanted to incorporate it into the design for Grace’s ring. It was the ring my father gave my mother when she turned 18.”

He shook the ring free and offered it to Steve, who looked at it and smiled approvingly. “It’s a beautiful ring, Dominic.”

Danno handed the ring back to Dominic. “Get to the sideways part, Mr. Robustelli.”

Dominic winced and chuckled a little. “Grace told me about that. Let me promise you … I swear to you on my word as a man … Grace and I aren’t married right now. We didn’t sneak off anywhere to get married without telling anyone and everything that we did was supposed to happen with everyone around to witness it. But … driving back from the Clubhouse this afternoon … I just looked at her. I looked at her and I couldn’t wait anymore … I couldn’t wait another second. Yeah she’s my ol’ lady but I wanted more and so I pulled over on the side of the road and asked her. Gave her my Ma’s ring. She said yes. I swear we didn’t mean to do it sneaky or hide anything it just … happened.”

“A marriage proposal just happened? That’s the story you’re going with? You just HAPPENED to propose to our daughter on the side of the road? Lemme guess, not a single one of you mooks got a video of it either, did you?” Danno looked accusingly at the Wolves.

“You’d be wrong. I got it,” Tech said as he reached for his phone.

“I got it too,” Shakespeare offered, holding up his phone.

“Me three,” Freckles said, “and being the tallest I probably had the best angle.”

“Well someone better hand me a fuckin phone so I can see my little girl getting proposed to! And if you didn’t do it right, Dominic, so help me I’m gonna make you do it again. Right this time. Here in your house. Not on … where were you anyway?”

Dominic could hear the laughter in his voice so he felt a little better. 

“You’ll probably hear about a little erratic driving on Highway 93 at the Paradise Cove exit on the news. Dominic cut across traffic to pull over and of course, we followed. There were horns. Many many horns.” Shiny said, chuckling.

Danno took Freckles’ phone and was watching the video with Steve. Dominic anxiously watched their reaction; when Steve’s head came to rest on Danno’s shoulder and Danno kissed his temple, Dominic knew he was in the clear. They handed the phone back to Freckles and motioned for him to stand up, which he did. Immediately he was embraced by both men and he may or may not have had something in his eye.


	33. Chapter 33

“Okay Grace, how about you take your hands out of the mitts and let me have a look,” Malia said. Once her hands were free of the cold mitts, Malia held them up gently and her brows furrowed in concern.

“What’s wrong?” Grace asked, a little alarmed.

“Well, the swelling didn’t go down as much as I would have liked inside the mitt. I think I might have to actually bring you to the office and get an x-ray of this hand. Your left, I’m pretty sure you probably broke just those two fingers there but your right hand … I don’t like the way it looks and I’d rather be safe than sorry. Won’t take long and then you can come home. Stay here, I’ll go get Dominic.”

Malia stood up and patted her shoulder before walking towards the sliding doors leading out to the patio. She’d given Grace ibuprofen to help with the swelling and the pain in her hand and it had helped to take the edge off but now that Grace could actually see her hands outside the mitts, it was obvious her right hand was far more swollen and bruised than her left. And Malia had pointed at her index and middle fingers as being the broken ones, which meant she could probably still wear her ring once the swelling went down and they got the band sized properly. She smiled like a dope again, she could feel it but the ring he’d given her was gorgeous and classic. She tried to school her features into something less dopey when Dad came in but he leaned over and kissed her forehead.

“Congratulations, ali’i. We saw the video of him proposing, so now at least we know where you’ll have your reception for the wedding.” Dad teased her, winking as he directed his attention to her hands. “Are you in pain?”

“Not so much. Malia gave me some ibuprofen and that took the edge off. It hurts but it’s not like my leg or getting shot. I’d say it’s about the same as that time I didn’t know the slider was closed and I was so busy looking at my phone that I slammed, nose first, into the glass,” she remarked, giggling. Dad grinned and laughed too, just as Danno came into the kitchen.

“What are we laughing about?”

“The time Grace was so busy with her phone that she face planted into the lanai door.”

“Oh that was perfect. I still say we should have left her face imprint on the glass, forehead, nose, lips and chin. Why are we talking about that?”

“Dad was asking how much I’m hurting. It was a comparative scale. My hand hurts about as much as my pride did after I face planted but not nearly as much as when I broke my leg.” Grace smiled at Danno.

“Good. Dominic will be here in a minute, he’s pulling his car around to the door for you. And once you are evaluated and released, we’re all going to dinner to celebrate. My little girl got engaged today … on the side of a highway … at an exit to a tourist luau. These things do not happen every day, you know.” Danno was winking at her as he laughed his way through his response. “And no, Steven, we will not be having her reception at said luau.”

“Why not? You should taste the pork from their imu.”

“Because they don’t serve lasagna. A Jersey girl, marrying a man from Jersey, deserves to have lasagna at her reception.”

Grace watched back and forth between both of her dads and couldn’t stop the giggles that erupted. They stopped to look at her and she shook her head, laughing.

“I’m just glad you guys aren’t upset or freaking out.”

“Monkey, it’s not like this was unexpected. Okay, so his timing could use a little work but what can you expect from a guy from Newark? We’re always goin off half-cocked. It’s part of our nature. He loves you, you love him. That’s what’s important here.”

“Well, that and figuring out why your fingers look like sausages,” Dominic said from the doorway, chuckling. 

“Mmm … sausages. Can we find some place on the island that has sausage, peppers and onions? That sounds so good right now,” Grace said, licking her lips.

“You are so strange. Only you could be thinking about food when your hand looks like that,” Danno said and Grace shook her head.

“Not true. Dominic thinks about food whenever he gets hurt. The whole time his jaw was wired shut, he wouldn’t stop texting me about wanting ravioli.”

“Then you’re perfect for each other. And this illustrates my point, SuperSEAL … our kids need to have ITALIAN food at their reception, not pig cooked in a hole in the ground and pineapple.”

“Hey Danno?”

“Yes Monkey?”

“Do we get a say in what we want to have at our reception?”

“No.”

“Okay. Hey Dominic?”

“Yeah mia regina?”

“How long would it take for you to book a flight to Vegas?”

“Oh no. Nuh uh. There will be no Vegas wedding. Nor will there be a Jersey wedding. There will be a wedding here on Oahu that will have Italian food and that’s final.”

Grace, Dominic and Steve were almost bent over with silent laughter while Danno ranted and when he saw them, he smirked.

“Yeah, laugh it up now. Wait til I take you dress shopping and ask if they have anything made out of canvas so it can be washed just in case you get motor oil on your dress.”

“That’s actually really practical Danno. We should look into that,” Grace responded and his face fell. She stood up and kissed him, hugging her Danno close. “I promise I’ll let you pick out the frilliest, girliest, over-stuffed cupcake dress you want and I’ll smile when you walk me down the aisle.”

“Grace, we need to get going. Let’s get you upstairs and changed into something better than boardies and a torn t-shirt so we can get to Malia’s and see what’s going on with your hand,” Dominic said, offering his arm for her to use to pull herself up. 

***

“I can’t believe they didn’t have purple tape,” Grace grumbled as they left Malia’s office an hour later. X-rays had shown that she’d broken her index finger and her ring finger on her left hand and she’d sustained a “brawler’s fracture” on her middle finger of her right hand. It was minor enough that she wouldn’t need surgery but she had to keep her hand securely bandaged to keep it immobile for a few weeks while the bone healed. 

Dominic laughed and brushed his hand over her forearm while he drove towards Chin’s house. Malia had insisted, as she was wrapping Grace’s hand in pink tape, that they have dinner at her house to celebrate the engagement. “I’m just glad it didn’t need surgery. It’ll heal and I’ll buy you some purple tape to carry around with you next time.”

Grace snorted. “I’m hoping there won’t be a next time. I can’t say this is convenient at all. How am I supposed to do anything with my right hand wrapped up like a mummy’s club?”

“I guess you’ll just have to depend on me, your father, Danno, Malia, Amy, Kon-” Dominic started before Grace interrupted.

“Okay, okay. Point taken. And really, this was so worth it. I think I heard Uncle Chin say I dislocated his jaw.”

They were just pulling up to Chin’s house and before Dominic could reply, both he and Grace took in their surroundings. There were at least 20 bikes and 3 cars that didn’t belong to either Chin or Malia plus Kame’s catering truck was pulled off to the side of the house. He opened his mouth to say something but realized he couldn’t quite put his shock into words yet. Instead he looked at Grace, who was wearing the same expression of shock.

“How … I mean … when did she …?” Dominic finally found words.

“Oh this wasn’t Auntie. Well, not Auntie Malia anyway. This has Kono written all over it; she loves to throw a party.”

“How would she have gotten all this arrange … how would she even know we were engaged?” Dominic was still a little shocked and overwhelmed with love for the people of their Ohana. That they could have gotten all of this together with such short notice and just for them? It showed how much trust they put in him and how much acceptance they had for the relationship between he and Grace.

“Shiny.”

“What about him?”

“Shiny probably told Anakoni, who would have called Kono. Kono would have called Chin, who would have called Kame. Kono also would have called all the ‘Auana women to come help. This whole setup … 30 minutes max to organize.”

“So you’re saying we can hang Shiny upside down by his bootheels?”

“Totally.”

They both laughed and Dominic leaned across the console to kiss Grace. “I love you, mia regina.”

Her good hand brushed through his hair and she looked up at him with a tender smile. “I love you, mio lupo.”

He got out of the car and came around to open the door, once again holding out his arm for her to use to leverage herself out of the car. “Remind me again why we didn’t take the bike?”

Dominic blushed. “I may have forgotten to turn the ignition off on the bike when I went home to get the car. So the bike is out of gas.”

Grace looked at him in shock. “I thought you did it because you were worried I wouldn’t be able to hold onto you properly with a broken hand. You’re telling me you let your bike run out of gas?” 

Dominic became very interested in the pre-dusk sky as Grace burst into laughter loud enough that the front door of the house opened and Kono came running out to hug them both.

“I’m so glad you’re finally here! I’m so glad I get to be the first to say congratulations! I haven’t seen the video yet … we’re waiting for you to get here so we can all see it at the same time. So come on, into the house so we can see it!”

And just like that, Dominic found himself being herded into the house by a woman half his size with his arm around Grace’s shoulders. Nothing could have prepared him, however, for the sight that greeted him beyond the doors. 

There had to be at least 100 people spread out in the backyard and they were all cheering and applauding and yelling congratulations. Every member of ‘Auana and their Prospects, every Wolf and their Pups, wives, girlfriends, kids; they were all at the house to celebrate with Grace and Dominic. He felt Grace slide her arm around his waist and rest her head against his chest and his face broke out in a smile. 

This was their Ohana.

***

Grace had seen Gutches disappear into the house and she excused herself for a minute from Dominic’s side. She followed him to the kitchen and called his name to get his attention.

“Yeah, Grace?”

“I wanted to say thank you. I don’t really remember much about what happened this morning but I think you were the one to stop me from hitting him again. I don’t know that I would have stopped on my own.”

Gutches grinned and opened his arms for a hug. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist.

“I’ll always watch out for you Grace. I remember the first time I met you … I don’t spend a lot of time around kids, in case you didn’t notice but you didn’t let that put you off. Oh no, here you come, marching straight up to me and hugged me like I’d known you your entire life. You always had balls, Grace and I’ve always admired that. You never let anything stop you and you’ve always been exactly who you are, without apologies. That’s something not very many people can claim. Not to mention, I’m pretty sure that husband of yours probably wanted a piece of that Olson kid too.”

Grace chuckled and leaned back, looking up at him. For a moment, there was a shadow over his face; almost as though he were sad about something but it was gone in the blink of an eye. She tucked the idea into the back of her head for now and gave him another squeeze.

“That’s what happens when you grow up around some pretty amazing people. I mean, if you didn’t spar with me as much as you do, I probably wouldn’t be as good as I am. I’d probably have hurt myself worse today than I did. Oh yeah, this kinda leaves me outta the sparring ring for a while too,” she replied jokingly, holding up her taped up hand. 

“Isn’t that what kickboxing was invented for?” Gutches winked at her and stepped towards the hallway. “Go find your man, Grace. I just need a minute of quiet, okay?”

“Sure. You know, I probably don’t say it much but I’d think you know. Monkey loves you too, Uncle Wade.” She smiled as she went back outside to find Dominic, keeping the conversation in her head and trying to puzzle out what it meant.

She slid back beside her Wolf and he turned, half questioning smile on his face. 

“Just had to thank Gutches for this morning. He was the one to grab my arm when I would have kept swinging.” Grace leaned her head on his shoulder. “He said he did it because he was saving you a piece.”

Dominic chuckled dryly and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Tonight is about celebrating. Let’s keep it that way,” he said as he kissed the top of her head.

For the rest of the night, Grace kept an eye on her Uncle whenever she could. She took notes on who he talked to, who he avoided, who he sat near when they put the video up on the big screen so everyone could see Dominic proposing (and no, she wasn’t crying again watching the video. There was dust okay? It gets very dusty at night in Hawaii … plus there were fresh onions in the salsa). By the end of the night, Grace had a pretty strong idea of what was going on but she was keeping it to herself for now. Observation is your strongest weapon, according to her Dad and that had held true all her life. 

***

She was home. Okay, so she was currently drooling on his chest again, but she was home. After the party had started to wind down, Danno and Steve had come to say good night and invite them over for breakfast in the morning; Dominic had a suspicion perhaps there would be more times than not that the invitation to breakfast would include the both of them as opposed to just him. Or maybe it was just a strong hope on his part. 

He turned his head, looking at his queen outlined in the silver from the moonlight drifting in from the open window. Her features were soft in her sleep but he knew how strong she could be; how strong she had to be to get to where they were now. And even with that, he could still see the 14 year old girl he’d first seen in that driveway four years ago whenever she smiled or laughed. There was so much joy inside of her and his fear that it would be eroded away with the pressure of being an ol’ lady, not to mention being a First Lady, was fast becoming an unrealistic one. Even when defending their Club’s strength, she’d taken the smart approach and been tactical as opposed to emotional (although emotion had eventually won out but that hadn’t been her intent). He let his eyes wander down to her hands and he sighed softly; he’d sworn to her the day they’d gotten their tattoos that she’d never bear another scar under his watch and here she was with broken fingers and a broken bone in her hand. He made a note to himself that he’d make sure to take that out on Andy Olson when he saw him tomorrow as well. 

“Dmnic, g’sleep.”

He looked back up and one eye was half open with just enough recognition to know she was falling asleep but wasn’t quite there yet. 

“Sorry. Just admiring how beautiful you are, my queen.”

“Thnkn t’mush. Too loud. G’sleep.” She snuggled in closer to him, resting her head against his chest and wrapping her legs around his so their naked bodies were pressed together as close as possible. “sleep.”

“Yes Ma’am”

Dominic went to sleep with his queen in his arms.


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS GRAPHIC
> 
> THERE IS EXTREME VIOLENCE AND TORTURE THAT COULD MAKE YOU SQUEAMISH 
> 
> ALBERT IS A SADIST (ok maybe its me that is the sadist)

Dominic walked into the Clubhouse with Freckles and Hook just before the sun was really up in the sky. Today was the day he would finally have his opportunity to talk with Andy Olson and he was looking forward to the conversation. At this point, he didn’t really much care if anyone else in the Valhalla organization was involved or not; he just wanted to look Andy in the eye while he gloated about the beating Grace had given him … and to show him a video that Hook had been kind enough to record for him. 

When he’d left the house before dawn, he’d kissed Grace back to sleep and warned Stones and the other Pup about Grace and her morning coffee. As he’d left, he heard Stones also warning the Pup about playing poker with Grace and he’d chuckled, knowing damn good and well how ruthless she could be. He’d played against her once and he still owed her $50 (or a corresponding amount of pizza from Esposito’s). He hoped to be done with this particular visit by lunch but it depended quite a bit on how much fun he was having and how fucked up he really was from yesterday (Both Chin and Gutches had independently confirmed he was a mess). He stopped by Chin’s office and left a note on his desk, letting him know they were in the hole with Andy and then went out to “the hole”.

When fire had destroyed the original clubhouse, Chin had a blank slate to work with in building the new one. One thing that Danno and the Wolves had noticed right away was there wasn’t a separate entertainment area, much like the smaller garage at Red’s. And being that Jersey Red’s was a haul across the island from the clubhouse, they didn’t see that as being a good option (of course, now that he knew Grace owned Jersey Red’s, it was even more motivation for him to keep Club business out of there) so a separate building was erected on the opposite side of the lot from the Clubhouse. It was a concrete block building with soundproofing insulation and it’s own separate generator for power. There were two areas inside the building; one contained an open area that had a sink, eyebolts in the ceiling and the floor and a drain in the middle of the room while the other was a collection of cell-like cubicles with concrete block walls and barred doors. At the moment, all but one member of the Valhalla crew were in their cubicles and once Dominic reached Andy’s cube, he couldn’t help but feel a warm sense of pride in his queen. He heard Freckles and Hook choke back a laugh when they saw the condition of the once flippant Andy Olson.

He was sitting up in a straight-backed chair with his arms braced at his sides, both looking swollen and bruised as though both had been dislocated and then pushed back into place. His sides were bruised from just under his armpits all the way down to the top of his jeans. His jaw wasn’t just wired shut but he had a wired halo that rested against his bruised shoulders and held his almost obliterated jaw in place. His nose looked like it’d been broken in at least two separate places and his right eye was not just swollen shut, but was actually swollen to the point he looked like the Elephant Man. There was a bandage over his left ear and Dominic made a note to ask what was under there. His throat was surprisingly bruise free but his chest was a mottled mess of bruising, much like his sides. 

“You know, Andy. I DID warn you about what would happen if my ol’ lady got her hands on you. You remember that, don’t you?” Dominic announced loudly as he stepped into the cell. Andy physically jerked and moaned in pain, having been surprised by Dominic’s arrival … well that answered that question about why his ear was bandaged. 

“Did you enjoy meeting my Grace? Was it everything you were hoping for, you motherfucker? I mean, you did come here hoping to take her for yourself, right? Make her your ol’ lady? Except … what happened Andy?” Dominic came around to look in the not-quite-as-ruined left eye and saw the droop that told him she’d busted his eye socket as well. “Did she make you HER bitch instead? Is that what happened Andy?”

Andy couldn’t move his head, couldn’t turn away and couldn’t answer. The most he could manage was a grunt and the occasional groan but that was alright with Dominic. He was never much for the screamers anyway … he preferred the messy silence. 

“Let’s go for a little walk, Andy. I want to show you something. Get him up guys.” A moment later, Andy was standing up and trying to pull away from Freckles and Hook, as though he knew what was waiting for him in the other room. Dominic put a stop to that quick enough by grabbing one shoulder and squeezing until Andy went down to his knees. “Drag the bitch if you have to.”

It took two minutes to walk Andy into the other room and his left eye rolled around trying to take in his surroundings. Once the door to the cells was shut, Freckles and Hook dropped Andy to the floor while they walked over to where Dominic was already stripping out of his cut and his shirt. “See Andy … you already ruined one of my favourite shirts yesterday. That would be the cute white tanktop Grace was wearing yesterday with the purple flowers along the hem. Your blood won’t come out of that and I’m afraid that’s another thing that we’re going to have to discuss today. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s start at the beginning so you can keep up.”

Dominic walked over and crouched in front of Andy, grabbing his jaw and taking great pleasure in the tears that ran out of both eyes with the smallest bit of pressure. 

“First, my wife came to Minneapolis because she had a very promising career ahead of her in motocross that included sponsorships and endorsement deals. That was taken away from her by two bullets from a Valhalla crew that approached her in Minnehaha Park and your Secretary threatening to rape her. Did you know she was only 16 at the time? What kind of scumbag Secretary did you have that he’d threaten to rape a sixteen year old girl? This was on top of the insult your entire club paid to us in what you called hospitality. We attempted to leave the city, not even retaliating and what did your Club do? You tried to herd us to your clubhouse, Andrew. You tried to trap us in your city … now why would you want to do that? Somehow I don’t think it was to apologize for shooting the daughter of our VP, who just happens to be my Grace. However, your old man misjudged us and we very happily left your city after informing your father that retaliation would not be tolerated and that we considered this matter completed.”

Dominic stood up and walked around Andy, watching his one good eye try to keep up and listening to him whimper from the agony in his wrecked jaw. “Now here we are, several months later and I’m planning on taking my wife on a nice little vacation to celebrate her graduating and I find you guys in my house. Now I’m man enough to admit, you got me. You had planning and the element of surprise and hey, four on one? Even I’m not that good … Freckles over there, maybe but me? Nah, I’m not that good with those odds.”

He heard Freckles laugh and he winked at his friend. “What? I’ve seen you take at least two guys out … what’s two more?”

“The difference between winning and needing to be carried out of a concrete bunker, asshole.”

“Oh yeah, that’s right. After all the fun you and your boys had with me, I did have to be carried out of that bunker. And I had to have my jaw wired shut, just like your-”

“Actually, Wolf … I don’t think your jaw was in as bad a shape as his is. I think maybe he doesn’t hit as hard as the Queen does?” Hook questioned, smirking. 

“This is a good point. My jaw only had to be wired together; I didn’t need all this extra headgear. Wow … I’ll have to tell Grace that she hits better than your entire fuckin’ crew did. That’ll make her feel good. See, she needs to feel good Andy … because yesterday, while she was making you her fuckin bitch, she broke her hand. Now I’m not sure, from lookin at you, exactly which hit did it that broke her hand but I’m gonna make sure you regret breaking my wife’s hand, Andy.”

The moan emanating from Andy’s mouth was pathetic and he actually tried to crawl away on his knees; of course, the room was sealed so there was nowhere for him to go so Dominic and his Wolves sat back and watched him squirming on the floor before he finally tipped over to his side and landed on his shoulder. That brought a scream out of his mouth that surprised even Dominic. 

“Did that hurt, Andy? Wow, I wonder which hurts worse … that side,” Freckles hefted Andy back up to his knees and steadied him, “or the other side?” Dominic kicked out with his foot and shoved Andy down onto his other side, causing an equally loud scream to erupt out of Andy.

“Which do you think, Hook? Left or right?”

“Eh, metza metza. They’s about the same I think. Yanno, I bet landin face first would be an interestin sound, what with all that bruisin around his ribs an chest. That Queen of ours, I’m tellin’ ya … I wouldn’t wanna be on the wrong sid’a her. Or threaten anythin’ that she loved. Apparently them Minnesota people … they ain’t so bright, maybe? Ya think if we gave them a present, they’d leave us poor island wolves alone?”

“What sort of present were you thinking about, Hook? Like a gift basket?” Dominic could barely hold his laughter in.

“Yeah, like a gift basket. I’m thinkin’ I know this guy, alright? Well, you know him … we were just there last night with that kid Andy here brought with him. Tha fuck was that kid’s name? George? Greg? Fuck it, don’t matter. Anyway, so I know this guy Kame and he does like … caterin kinda thing. So he’s good with makin up baskets and that kid, he was gonna help Kame make the basket. I took video … you wanna see, Andy? You wanna see what we’re gonna send your Ma?”

Hook walked over and handed the phone to Dominic so he could hold it in front of Andy’s good eye. Freckles grabbed a hold of Andy’s hair to make sure he didn’t turn his head or try to close his eye. The video started to play and Dominic watched Andy’s facial expression through the entire 7 minute video; at one point, tears leaked out of the corner of his eyes and Dominic had to stop the video and ask.

“What? Was he somethin to you, Andy? Was he your brother … nah, couldn’t be. You don’t look like each other. Was you takin it up the ass from him, Andy?” Dominic chuckled when Andy actually managed to make a disgusted sound. 

“Yeah, there’s more than just cornholin’ goin on inside up in your neck of the woods, you cocksuckin bitch. Well, your cocksuckin days are over for a while. Let’s see how the video ends.” Dominic pressed play again. 

By the time the video ended and the screaming had stopped, Andy’s eye was wild in it’s socket again. Dominic reached out for his jaw again and the wounded animal sound came out of his mouth again. 

“That’s what we’re gonna do to every single fuckin member of your crew, Andy. Every last one of em, but not you. See, you deserve somethin a little more special than just a typical treatment for being a pussy bitch and that’s just because it was YOUR idea to come here. Your crew? They just followed their leader so they get the Kame shark special. He’s got … what’s he got these days, Hook? A dozen of the whitetips? Nah, doesn’t matter … in the end, what matters is that by the end of the day today, every single guy you brought to Hawaii will become a light lunch for a few of Kame’s sharks. And that little slice of skin where they had their Valhalla patch? That’s gonna be mailed back to your Club. They can figure out who is who, I’m sure.”

Dominic walked over to the side of the room where he’d laid out a few attention getters. “Strip him and hang him.”

He heard the scuffle as they stripped Andy naked and then used two pulley hooks under his armpits to raise him up off the floor; Dominic could see the agony in his face already and he smiled. 

“Now Andy, if I remember correctly, your plan was to come to Hawaii, get rid of me, take Grace as your ol’ lady and the patch over my Jersey Wolves to your Valhalla Club. Is that right?”

Andy was trying to shake his head no but it wasn’t working so well and Dominic could see how much more it hurt. He motioned to Freckles, who brought him the fillet blade he’d borrowed from Steve. “Now, I ain’t gonna claim that I’m as good at this as my father in law but I’m gonna do my best, ok? You just try to hold still.” 

Dominic came around to Andy’s ribcage where he carried the Valhalla tattoo and he laid the blade just against the skin. “Now, if I do this right, it’ll only take off maybe four or five layers of skin. My father in law? He can get it down to just two layers but I ain’t as good as he is yet. Now the more you move, the more it’s gonna hurt because the blade will cut deeper. And then I’ll have to cauterize the bleeding and start over again. Hook, show him how we cauterize things here in Hawaii.”

Hook chuckled as he held up an acetylene torch. “We like to be very fuckin thorough.”

Dominic started to pull the blade forward and Andy let out a screech that made even Dominic jump. Which made the blade slip and next thing he knew, there was blood running down Andy’s side. 

“Well son of a bitch, what’d I tell you Andy? Now look at what happened? Come on, Hook. Let’s get this bleeding stopped.”

The torch lit and Dominic held the blade against the flame before holding it against the slice he’d mae. Andy screamed himself hoarse for about 25 seconds and then fell silent. Dominic looked up and Andy’s voice had completely gone out but he was still trying to scream. 

“Oh thank fuck. I thought that bitch’s screamin was gonna blow my fuckin ears,” Hook said, turning the torch off. 

“Hold his fuckin legs, would ya?”

Freckles grabbed hold of Andy’s legs and Dominic went back to his carving. Having learned his lesson apparently, Andy tried to keep as still as possible and after a few minutes, the Valhalla mark was successfully carved off his ribs and Dominic held it up for him to see. 

“Now you ALSO said that you were gonna patch over my Wolves … it’d be a shame to not let you see how we handle that as well.”

Dominic reached over to the table once again and came back with a large square piece of heavy duty canvas that had the Jersey Wolves insignia drawn in the center. Dominic held the canvas in place while Hook, true to his name, took out a large bore needle and sewed the piece of canvas over the patch of skin where the Valhalla ink had been. 

All three men stood back and admired their work. Hook even took a picture of it. 

“Now I don’t think I really need to make my point about my woman, seeing as she made her point for herself yesterday. But there IS the matter of you ruinin her clothes with your blood. And insinuating that you could ever dream about my woman in any way. Or touch her. I take offense to that seeing as I’m the only man she’s ever been with and I promised I’d be her first and her last. So you thinkin you could be something in between … I take issue with that.”

Dominic smiled again as he took another tool from the table and held it up for Andy to see. The blunt vice like top fit together perfectly and when Dominic opened the handles, Andy would be able to see the open circle beneath. The silent screaming, if possible, became even more vehement. 

“From his reaction, I’m thinkin he knows what that is, Wolf.”

“Do you know what this is, Andy? Do you know what it’s used for? Eh, suppose it doesn’t matter if you do or don’t right now. In the next five minutes, you’ll know for sure.”

***

In the end, it had taken Andy 4.5 hours before his body gave out. In that time, Dominic had demonstrated repeatedly his displeasure in Andy’s actions and his particular brand of retribution. He helped Freckles take Andy down from the hooks and laid his body on the floor. Taking the tools they had used, he put them into the ultrasonic bath to be cleaned and then packaged up his set of prizes in the solution Kame had provided him last night, to ensure freshness. He put them up on the shelf and turned back to help Freckles and Hook clean up the room. The entire process took another hour but finally they were done and they were ready for Kame to come pick up the bodies. Dominic made sure the jar with the tattooed skin as well as Andy’s ‘masculinity’ was with the body so Kame could take care of that as well. 

They all stripped to their underwear, used the hose to wash their skin clean and then put on the fresh clothes they had in the locker, making sure to bag their dirtied jeans. 

“Thanks guys. I appreciate it,” Dominic said, clapping his hands on each of their shoulders. 

“Ohana, dude. Plus they’re all pieces of shit that came here and fucked with us.” Freckles grinned.

Dominic stopped in with Chin on the way back to his bike to let him know it was all done and the hole was clean. Chin motioned him into the office and he sat down.

“I know you wanna get home to Grace before she robs your Pups blind playing poker but I just wanted a minute. I wanted to talk to you about your plans, moving forward as far as the Club is concerned. Why don’t you stop by the house tonight and we can talk while the girls get dinner ready. We need to talk about succession and a few other things.”

Dominic was confused and he looked at Chin. “Succession?”

Chin gave him one of the zen smiles that Dominic was never sure he should feel good or terrified of. “Brah, I ain’t gonna ride forever and I’m a man who believes in planning everything … even coincidences, if you follow.”

Dominic was dumbfounded for a minute before he caught on. “You let her beat him.”

“I happened to know he was coming to my office yesterday when Grace showed up, which I did NOT know about. When he happened into Grace purely by coincidence and he opened his mouth, I wasn’t in time to stop her. These things happen and I’m not familiar enough with her strikes to have grabbed her like Gutches did, but he was coming from the other side of the building.”

Dominic stood up and offered his hand to Chin.

“Seriously, it’s surprising when these coincidences happen fortuitously.” 

“It is indeed, Wolf. Now make sure you come by early tonight so we can talk before dinner with Danno.”

Dominic left and headed home to his woman, wondering what the hell he’d need to talk to Chin and Danno about.


	35. Chapter 35

Grace vaguely remembered Dominic kissing her at some point and when she reached out for his side of the bed, it was cold. Her brain almost registered he was going to the Clubhouse early this morning but couldn’t remember why. She threw the covers off and stumbled towards the bathroom, at the last minute remembering she couldn’t shower so she used a warm rag to at least carefully wipe at her face. Her fingers of her left hand being taped together left her looking like some sort of three-fingered monstrosity but she had the dexterity at least to do simple things, like brush her teeth and pull a pair of boardies up her legs and one of Dominic’s t-shirts over her head. Clothing accomplished, she meandered her way down the steps, towards the smell of coffee and managed a half smiled grunt at Stones and Michael, the other Pup (he hadn’t earned a road name yet). 

By the third cup of coffee and a large bowl of fruit and granola, she was much more human and ready to take on the day. The problem was her hands couldn’t quite take anything on so she was reliant on the Pups. They obviously didn’t mind but she hated having to constantly ask them to do things; such as asking for the paperwork out of the backpack on her bike, only to discover her bike was still at the Clubhouse. Stones made a phone call to someone and her backpack arrived at the house an hour later, which made her feel even more indebted. She could tell the next few weeks were going to suck.

Going over the paperwork from the garage was both easy and not; she was matching invoices to work done, parts ordered and receipts but all of it was manual so it took her four times longer than it should have because she was stuck with just a left “claw”. Michael sat down and offered to help, organizing the invoices for her and running the calculations.

“I appreciate this, thanks.”

“It’s not a problem. My father used to have me do that for him when he was doing his quarterly accounting so I’m familiar with it. He ran a garage, like your fathers do but he closed up shop when he got sick.”

“Was his shop here on the island?”

“Nah, we were on the Big Island.”

“What made you come to Oahu?”

“My girl. She was laid off from her job but was offered a better opportunity here on Oahu so we came over. I used to hang around with some of the guys that used to come to my Dad’s shop and Club life just sorta makes sense to me. I was glad when Dominic offered me a cut, a chance to work with the Wolves so my girl doesn’t worry so much about making ends meet.”

Grace smiled, honestly happy to hear there was at least the possibility of another woman in her Club. “What’s her name?”

Michael brightened like a lightbulb talking about her and he smiled as he replied, “Her name’s Lana. Well, her real name is Malana but she goes by Lana.”

“What does she do here on Oahu?”

“She’s a sous chef at the Vintage Cave Club.”

Grace was impressed. She knew the restaurant but had never eaten there, mostly because she was terrified of the prices but she knew it was the kind of place that you really had to know what you were doing if you were going to be working there.

“That’s really awesome. You should bring her by to our next dinner, if she’s available. I’d love to meet her.”

The smile on Michael’s face grew brighter if possible and he was nodding. “Thank you. I’ll be sure to introduce you.”

It was another hour before she heard the sound of Dominic’s car pulling up the driveway and she was up and heading for the door before he’d even made it to the garage. She leaned against the door leading from the garage into the house, smiling as he stood up. He came over and picked her up, holding her close as she wrapped her legs around his waist and looked into his eyes. 

“Hey guys, thanks for hanging out with me but you can clear out.”

The look in Dominic’s eyes told her he needed her, that he needed grounding and feeling … or maybe it was his hard cock grinding against her pussy while he walked into the kitchen and put her up on the counter. Almost instantly, his mouth was finding hers and she opened up for him, leaning into his kiss. His hands were everywhere, yanking at her shirt, going up underneath to touch her back but never letting his lips escape from hers. She tried leaning back so she could put her arms up and get the shirt off but he growled, sinking his hands into her hair and holding her still. 

She’d be a liar if she said that didn’t turn her on. She tried to touch him and was frustrated by her taped up hands but managed to get under his shirt, pushing it up while scooting closer to the edge of the counter so she could have more contact with his cock. His hands dipped down into her shorts, grabbing her ass and growling when he realized she wasn’t wearing any panties.

“Couldn’t … manage … dumb ha … hands.” she explained between kisses as she rolled her hips.

“Fuck you’re hot. And you’re mine. And I’m going to love you for the rest of my life and I’ll kill anyone who ever thinks they can touch you.” Dominic had stopped kissing her and was staring her in the eye. She felt the power and the truth of his statement … something that should have terrified her but she had grown up with this … she’d grown up knowing what it meant to belong.

“Always yours, Dominic. With your name on my neck and your ring on my finger. Standing right beside you and watching your back like you watch mine. I’m not the typical First Lady but I’m yours and that’s forever. Us, together. Dominic and Grace Robustelli … The Wolf and his Queen. And anyone who ever tries to come between us will have to deal with us … because there will never be anyone else for me.”

His hand tightened in her hair and he pulled her forward again, capturing her mouth in a kiss that devoured everything, burning straight through her body and she could feel his adrenaline. She put her arms up, offering him to pull her shirt up … offering him the control that he so desperately needed right now. It took him a minute to realize what she’d done and then he was smiling as he pulled the shirt up and off her body. When her naked skin came into view, he leaned down and licked from the shadow of her shoulder up to her ear and she felt it like a brand. 

“No bra. No panties. Just boardies and my shirt. My queen, waiting for me to come home and devour you.”

“What teeth you have, my husband. Show me how you use them.” Grace’s voice was low and she was fast losing the tenuous control she held over her desire. He knew damn good and well what those fangs of his did for her and he’d teased her so many times with them. He was nuzzling at her neck, nibbling with his fang against the tender skin and she had he head back, exposing more of her throat. She felt his hand dip into the shorts again, this time the front of them and an instant later, she felt his warm hand cupping against her drenched pussy. The touch was like electricity and her hips jerked forward, another gush of hot liquid soaking his palm. 

“So wet for me, mia regina. Come mai sono sempre così pronta per me? Sognate di me si tocca? Avete bisogno di me dentro di te? Si riempiono con il mio cazzo e sperma dentro di te di nuovo? Cazzo voglio cum dentro di te ancora una volta ... così caldo, così bagnato. La mia regina, la mia donna, il mio mondo. Ho bisogno di assaggiare te, quanto è dolce la tua fica è nella mia bocca.”

Grace couldn’t understand even 1/4 of what he’d said but his intent was clear. She lifted her hips so he could pull her boardies off and spread her legs for him, grinding harder against his cock while she braced her hands behind her, offering her entire body to him. The look in his eye was primal and possessive; the rush of liquid between her legs responded and he wasted no time. He licked and nipped his way down her body, his fang catching her nipple and making her shiver; she heard that dark chuckle and knew he’d done it on purpose. The moment she’d have said something about it was the moment she felt his breath between her thighs. Her mind blanked and she leaned up to watch him … another first she couldn’t stand to miss watching.

***

He was buzzing with energy and he didn’t know how to get rid of it. He didn’t know how to relax so he figured that if he went home, he could try to relax with Grace. The moment he’d seen her though, standing in the doorway wearing his shirt, he’d known exactly how he wanted to burn off the energy. And before he needed to say anything at all, her legs were wrapped around his waist and she was telling the Pups to get out. This was his Queen and she accepted him, every part of him. He wanted to own her, to be inside of her, to be owned by her and he didn’t know how to tell her except to make love to her the way they always had … aggression, strength and love. When he found her not wearing panties, the primal part of his brain took over. This was his woman and he would mark every inch of her so no one ever dared look at her and think they could have her. Hearing her echo that statement … hearing her strength … The Wolf and his Queen. His beautiful, naked succulent Queen. His cock wanted to be buried inside her but he had enough control to remember he didn’t have a condom anywhere nearby but he could still devour … still possess. 

She was laid out for him, ass on the edge of the counter as he knelt between her thighs. His eyes flashed up and he saw her watching him … saw the desire and love in her eyes. He leaned forward, breathing in the sweetness; letting it fill his brain with Grace. He leaned closer, breathing deeper … close enough to feel the heat emanating from her pussy … close enough to see how slick and shiny those swollen lips were already before he’d even touched her. But touching her was something he needed … something his body demanded. 

His first taste was salvation for every sin he’d ever committed. As his tongue slid along the outer lips of her soaking labia, he felt her vibrating as she moaned. He decided he liked that sound and intended to make sure she repeated it often. His tongue slid along the crease, never pushing in but just lapping at what seeped out; drawing his woman into his body so he would always remember her like this, the first time. He teased her like that for a minute, hearing her moans become more desperate and her hips beginning to roll against his mouth, as though she would lose everything without his touch. His mouth and his tongue … his very soul … were marked with the taste of her as he ran his finger along the crease of her pussy and spread her lips open so he could taste her inner labia. The taste was sweeter, deeper … more syrupy as he lapped at it and rolled his tongue up along her labia to her clit. 

He avoided it … maybe on purpose … wanting to draw the moment. His lips kissed hers and his tongue pressed flat against the base of her before licking his way back up again, making her thighs almost clench around his head. He glanced up again, finding her staring at him with her mouth open, panting and moaning. Her eyes were far away, as though she were just instinct and need and he wanted to lose himself to the same animal. His tongue pressed inside of her, pushing into the tightness of her pussy and licking up towards the underside of her clit. With that, her thighs did come crashing together and she rubbed herself against his face. He could feel the contractions of her pussy and he kept the pace, flicking his tongue just under her clit and licking her entire length. By the third time he’d flicked his tongue against that spot, he was rewarded with the most guttural sound of desire he’d ever heard from a woman. Her pussy clenched down on his tongue and he felt the splash of her cum … sweeter than anything he’d ever tasted. He rode her pussy through her orgasm, feeling her clench and release several times as her body responded to him. Finally, after a few minutes, she was relaxed and her thighs fell open. When he looked at her, he found another reason he loved her.

Debauched, with her braided hair a mess with sweat and slick, her nipples hard and inviting with lips that were still red and kiss-swollen, she was beautiful. He could see the muscles in every inch of her body and thinking about what those muscles had done to the man he’d he just finished had his cock painfully hard. His hands were reaching for his zipper when he heard her whisper … when he heard her love for him and her utter trust. 

“Own me, Dominic. Every inch when I can hear everything you were thinking in your head the first time. No boundaries, nothing between us.”

The look in her eyes, the trust she placed in him … she leaned forward, pulling him up to lick the taste of her own pleasure inside his mouth when she whispered it again. “Own me.”

He was barely pressed against her still soaking pussy when his cock erupted, like a teenage boy having his first sexual encounter. His cum splashed across her pussy and thighs, a stripe landing across her stomach and he realized she had locked her legs behind his ass and was holding him against her body. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her back up, their bodies pressing together, his cut and shirt against her naked flesh as he walked them up the stairs to the bedroom, kissing her the entire way.

“That was intense. I think I like your idea of ownership,” Grace said in his ear as he put her down on her own two feet and turned towards the shower. He laughed a little sheepishly, thankful that he was facing the shower and not her.

“That was not the intention and I came all over you like some kid who doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

“I dunno. I think I kinda like it. I like the look on your face when you were over me … possessive. That same look you had when I gave you my virginity … with every first you give to me, it’s another mark. Another piece of you with me for the rest of my life. When I said I wanted you to be my first, I meant for everything … the good, the bad, the bloody and the beautiful.”

“How am I this goddamned lucky?”

“How do you know you’re lucky? Maybe I’m just generous?” Grace teased as he slid plastic bags over her hands to protect the bandages and helped her into the shower. 

“Still lucky. But I’m gonna ask that you not tempt me like that again. Being inside you is … like I said, there aren’t words. Yeah, you’re on the pill and I know you take it every day like clockwork but in that moment, Grace … In that moment, I don’t always know that I can stop myself and someday I want to have kids with you but not until we’re ready. And right now, we ain’t ready.”

Grace looked up at him, her hair plastered back from her face. “In the moment, Dominic … I don’t always think. I want you so much and I want it all with you. Bikes, kids, a house, the garage, our Ohana, grandkids … It’s funny. When I was still just masturbating in bed thinking about what it would be like to have you, I used to tell myself that I was more than just my hormones, that I had my goals in front of me and I was going to accomplish them and not just be this emotional ball of hormones and sex. And I’m still like that … until you get naked. Then I’m an emotional ball of hormones and sex.” She was giggling by the end and he rolled his eyes at her.

“I’ll be sure to wear a full body wetsuit under my clothes from now on so you can get your degree finished on time.”

“Thank you. That’s very much appreciated.”

By now, he’d finished washing her hair and body and was working on his own.

“By the way, have you talked to Danno today?”

“Nuh-uh. Why?”

“Chin had me in his office before I left the Clubhouse tonight. Said we should stop by the house before dinner tonight so he and Danno could talk to me about some things. Didn’t know if Danno had given you any idea what they’d need to talk to me about.”

Grace looked at him, her head tilted to the side and that calculating look immediately on her face.

“What’d Uncle say, exactly?”

This is where it got sticky for Dominic and he had to remember that she was probably his best asset when it came to Club business and knowing about what Chin was thinking. But this was also usually where women were left out of Club politics; they weren’t supposed to know the inner workings. He debated for a moment, knowing this decision would affect the rest of his life. 

“He said he wanted to talk to me about succession and a few other things. He wasn’t specific.” He really hoped this didn’t come back and bite him in the ass later in life. 

She thought for a moment, he could see the wheels turning in her head and he turned the water off, helping her out to dry. 

“Well from what I’ve known before you came to Hawaii, succession was Uncle Chin, Danno and then who knows. When you came along, Uncle Red was already grooming you and Danno took up where Red left off so the successive line became Chin, Danno and then you. If they are wanting to talk about succession, it might be to solidify that but … that doesn’t make sense. It’s already pretty much set in stone so there’d be no reason to talk about it, unless something’s changed. Uncle Chin hasn’t made any indication that I’ve seen that he’s planning on stepping down. And I know it’s not to knock you out of succession because they don’t talk about that, they just de-patch you. And that never involves dinner. The only other thing …,” Grace replied but her voice drifted off and she shook her head. “I don’t think they’d send us back to Jersey, not with Big Tiny running things back there and he doesn’t need a VP and going to another island doesn’t make sense because there’s no ‘Auana or Wolves and breaking into a new island would be pretty damned hard.”

“Maybe they are bumping the succession? Moving Meka or Gutches ahead of me?”

Grace actually snorted at his remark before answering, “Have you met Gutches or Meka? What about either of them makes you think they are remotely interested in Presidency? No, they have zero interest and or desire to ascend those ranks. It has to have something to do with Chin and Danno. By the way, while we’re on the topic … have you noticed anything lately different about Gutches?”

“You mean have I noticed he’s taken to looking less like he’s going to stab everyone?”

“Something like that, yeah.” Grace chuckled.

“Why?”

“Let’s say I have a suspicion about something but it’s not my secret to tell. And I don’t want to spread rumors that aren’t true.”

“Now my curiosity is at an all time high and I’m going to be staring at him all night. He’s going to think I’m hot for him. Thanks Grace.”

“You’re welcome.” Grace smirked as she danced out of the bathroom and into the bedroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did Dominic say to Grace in "that" moment?
> 
> “So wet for me, mia regina. How is it you are always so ready for me? Do you dream about me touching you? Do you need me inside of you? Fill you with my cock and cum inside of you again? Fuck I want to cum inside you again ... So hot, so wet. My queen, my woman, my world. I need to taste you, how sweet your cunt is in my mouth.  
> .”


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry

Dominic and Grace both, upon arrival at Chin’s house, were taken through to the office while Malia waved and said she’d catch up with Grace later. They looked at each other, confused for a moment as they stepped through to where Chin and Danno were waiting but took the proffered seats, each looking from Chin to Danno and waiting for someone to speak. 

“Dominic, I think we can skip the formality of making sure you know you’re in line for taking things over. What I want to talk to you about is what you think you’d like to accomplish. What are your plans, short term and long term, as far as your life. Obviously, one of them is getting married to Grace but what else?”

Dominic blinked for a minute, taking his time to think about his answer. He didn’t want to be flippant, nor appear that he hadn’t given it thought … because actually, he had. He took Grace’s hand in his and spoke. 

“Grace, yes. Although with her being 17, that wedding is a while out but not too far out. Ideally, I’d like to get married after she’s done with school because that way there’s no pressure on her on top of what’s already there. I’m perfectly happy staying working at the garage and doing what I need to do for the Club. I was thinking of expanding the Wolves business model into opening up a couple of eco-tour companies after a conversation with Shiny; there’s enough interest in it from a tourist standpoint that I think it would make a pretty decent amount of money and we can almost let it run itself if we put the right people into the right places. I know that being President of the Wolves is temporary and eventually, at least I think, you’d hand the ‘Auana to Danno and then from Danno to me. Freckles will step up as President of the Wolves at that point or we may decide to just patch over the Wolves to the ‘Auana. It’s something I’d talk to Freckles about when the time came.”

He finished speaking and looked at Chin, then Danno. Chin was wearing his typical “I could be murdering you or drinking tea” zen face whereas Danno was looking impressed.

Grace squeezed his hand and smiled. “He’s also looking at houses, but I’m not supposed to know that.”

Danno and Chin both barked out a laugh while Dominic turned and looked at Grace. “Who do I get to skin for spilling secrets?”

“Yourself, although I’d prefer you didn’t.”

Dominic blinked and tilted his head.

“When you’re trying to be stealthy about talking to a realtor on the phone, you might want to make sure you don’t leave the patio doors open while I’m cooking dinner.”

Dominic ran his hands over his face and sighed. “Okay, well there goes that surprise. Yes, I’ve been looking at houses because I figured moving into some place where you can have your own study area for school would be smart and if I found a place before school actually started, we could be all moved in before you had any additional pressure on you. Malia gave me the name of the realtor and she’s narrowed the choices down to three places. Two are on the coast, one is inland.”

“Where are the places you’re looking at?” Danno asked.

“There’s a place on Kaialii Place, on the Loa Ridge that I’m leaning towards but then there’s another place up in Lilipuna Rd that has a compound that I really liked but Grace said once upon a time that she didn’t want to live in Kaneohe again. And the last place is out on Huelani Pl but Grace mentioned wanting to live on the ocean so that’s near the bottom of the list.

Danno cleared his throat and Chin had raised his eyebrow slightly. Grace was staring at him with her jaw open.

“Dominic, I know you’re not used to things out here but … not to insult you … did you give this realtor a budget to work with?” Danno coughed out and Dominic chuckled a little, blushing.

“Uhh yeah. Here’s the thing. My Dad and Ma? They were “rainy day” people so they saved a lot of money and invested it through Dad’s crime scene cleaning business. When they died, their investments turned over to my name and I’ve sorta … let them sit. Plus, I take after my parents and I have a rainy day fund of my own that I’ve been stashing money into since Red hired me when I was 16. Between the two funds, I live off the interest and leave the rest alone.”

Danno cleared his throat again and Chin’s eyebrow had joined his hairline.

“Not to pry … but what are we talking about here?” Danno asked.

“Grace will never have to worry about anything financially and neither will your grandchildren … or your great grandchildren if I’m careful.” Grace started coughing as she choked on her own gasp.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. You ain’t just a pretty face from Newark, son.” Danno was laughing and Chin joined in. “I’m glad to know that, in all seriousness. As long as she’s always taken care of, that’s all I need to know.”

“Sure. But what does that have to do with us being here today? I mean, I’m always glad to be invited over but I got the impression you wanted more than to know my bank account stability.”

The mood in the room became sober and Chin leaned forward across his desk. 

“We’re going to be making some changes to the succession, effective immediately. Danno’s going to step down and you’re going to directly follow me as President. And you’re going to step up sooner rather than later. Think in terms of months instead of years.”

Dominic was stunned. He looked from Chin to Danno to Grace and back again, unable to figure out what he wanted to ask first. His head was swimming.

“When Red died, I got a taste of being President and I didn’t care for it. I didn’t say nothin to you because Chin and I wanted to see how you’d do with slowly increased pressure and we’ve both been impressed. So the plan has been, for the last year or so, for me to step down out of the succession. You and me, we’re gonna change patches. YOU get to be the Vice President under this guy and I get to sit on my ass as the 1st Officer. However, that means you have to decide what you want to do with the Wolves. Patch em over or let them stay their own branch.”

“Okay, that explains you but … why are you so sure about me stepping up almost immediately?”

Chin took a deep breath and for just a moment, his facade cracked and Dominic saw grief so strong it was almost a physical thing. “Malia is sick and once she reaches the point that she’ll need full time care, I’m planning on stepping down to provide that care until she needs to be moved to facility. The doctor’s said she has early onset Alzheimer’s and she’s starting to slip on little things.”

Dominic felt Grace go rigid beside him and heard her gasp. “That’s why she’s had me coming over more often and been letting me take over most of the planning and cooking.”

Chin nodded and Grace was up, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. “I’m so sorry, Uncle. Whatever you need, whenever you need it, you call us. You’ve always been here and taken care of me, the very least I can do is try to pay that back to you.”

Dominic watched as Grace immediately stepped up into the role of First Lady and his decision was an easy one. 

“When do you want to trade patches?”

Danno smiled a small, tight smile but held up the patch he’d already removed from his own cut and a seam ripper. Grace, having finished hugging Chin, came back around and took the seam ripper, the patch and both of their cuts before heading for Malia’s sewing room. 

“Grace already said it but let me repeat it. Seriously, man … I don’t care if it’s 2 AM, you call if you need anything,” Dominic said, unable to imagine the hell Chin had coming his way. 

“I appreciate that, Wolf. I also want you to know that I’m damn proud of you. You’ve come a long way in 4 years since I first met you and I’ll be proud to hand things over to your capable hands when the day comes. Bruddah here just screw it up anyway,” Chin smiled and tilted his head towards Danno, who snorted.

“I understood that, Chin Ho Kelly and I’ll have you know I did very well as President in my time. I kept the pineapples from invading Jersey and managed to keep the state from blowing up.”

Both Chin and Dominic started laughing as they left the office and headed out to the kitchen to check on Malia and the rest of the ladies.

***

Riding home later that night with Dominic, Grace quietly contemplated the future. Months, Chin had said. That would give her enough time to get her Certification but nowhere near enough time to get her Bachelors Degree. She could still work on engines and she had the credibility to work with designers because of her experience in the industry but the doors that would have been opened by her BA would have been larger. She could have made industry wide changes … or at least that’s what she’d always wanted to do. However, her Ohana needed her and there was nothing she wouldn’t do for Malia and Chin. They needed to know someone strong was taking over and Grace embodied that strength right alongside Dominic.

“You’re far away, mia regina,” Dominic’s voice interrupted her thoughts and she turned her head, smiling softly.

“Just thinking, that’s all.”

“What are you thinkin about?”

“West Oahu. Thankfully, I haven’t submitted my application yet so I don’t have to worry about contacting them to retract it. I can still get my certification and that Pup Michael has experience with doing the books for a garage so I might give him a job helping me out there. That’ll free me up to help Malia while Chin is still sitting President and I can arrange a schedule of all the ladies to make sure we can sit with Malia so she’s not alone or doing for herself too much.”

“Grace, you aren’t giving up West Oahu. That’s been your goal since before even Minneapolis.” Dominic’s voice was sharp and it ran up against the wrong side of Grace’s temper.

“You think I don’t know that? I already gave up one dream, so what’s one more.” Her voice sounded bitter, even to her own ears. She was tired of giving things up for other people but that’s what was expected.

“You didn’t give up motocross Grace, it was taken from you.”

“Do you not remember the conversation we had on the balcony the night you kissed me, Dominic? I was giving it up. I turned down the sponsorship from Yamaha to ride for their team internationally so I could stay in Hawaii,” Grace blurted out and instantly bit her lip.

“You … wait. You told me you were giving it up because you were getting too tall.”

“I … oh fuck it. Dominic, you do realize grown men ride motocross professionally, right? It had shit to do with my height. I didn’t want to leave Hawaii … I didn’t want to leave you … I didn’t want to think about being halfway around the fucking world while you were back here fucking someone that wasn’t me.”

Dominic pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned in his seat, looking at her. “You gave that up … for me?” His voice was half a whisper. 

Grace sighed and turned her head to look at him. “Of course I did, Dominic. And you were never supposed to know about it either because I knew you’d argue. My trainer cried when I told him I wasn’t going to accept the sponsorship. Literally bawled like a baby. But I knew what I wanted, Dominic. I wanted you and I still do. I’m not a typical First Lady Dominic but I know the basics of it. You’re the muscle of the Club and I’m the bone that supports you. Malia will need to be taken care of and Uncle Chin can’t do it on his own. Someone has to step up and take care of it and it falls to us because we’re the next in line. I can’t do it all, no matter how much I want to so I have to parse out what is and is not possible. I have time to get my certification, which combined with my reputation in the motocross industry, will give me enough clout to work with some manufacturers and make some changes to engines. I can take a few business classes here and there and hire Michael to help me in the office. His father used to run a garage on the big Island and he worked with his father. That frees me up to help with Malia, along with the rotation of other women in the club so she’s never alone and not doing for herself. You and I should probably go look at those three houses the realtor gave to you so we can get settled in because Malia won’t be able to host the weekly dinner at her place for much longer and I’d like to have a chance to settle into our new place before we start that tradition. Malia said she’ll give me the serving platters and all of that so we don’t have to worry ab-”

Grace was abruptly cut off by Dominic leaning across the console and kissing her. She was startled for a moment before melting into his touch, her arms coming up over his shoulders.

“You were starting to babble, mia regina,” Dominic said as he broke the kiss and she laughed.

“Okay so I may have gotten ahead of myself. But the truth remains, Dominic. West Oahu is out. My responsibility is to my family, my Ohana and my Club; in that order. Malia is all three.”

She looked up at him, hoping he understood. For a moment, she thought he would continue to argue but he just shook his head and pulled back onto the road.

“West Oahu is tabled. We’ll discuss it again after you’re done with your Associates and we can re-assess what Malia’s condition is. It could be that she’s still fine enough for you to go to school, even if it’s mostly part time. I was going to look at the houses this week while you were at work so you may as well come with me since the surprise has been ruined.” Dominic’s voice had that tone of finality to it that sometimes Danno had and Grace sighed.

“I didn’t mean to snap at you, Dominic. I’m upset about Malia and I’m taking it out on you and I’m sorry.”

He reached out and brushed his fingers over her forearm softly. “I know, Grace. We’ll figure it all out, one way or another. I’ll always be here and I know you’ll always be right beside me. I’m just pissed at myself for ruining the surprise. I had two gifts planned for your 18th birthday and now I’ve gone and given both of them up.”

Grace giggled. “It’s the Newark in you. According to Danno, all Newark men go off half-cocked.”

Dominic snorted a laugh, turning the car onto his driveway. “Remember that when the only thing I have to give you on your birthday is a shave ice.”

“So long as you never tell a living soul.”

***

Laying in bed that night with Grace laying on top of his chest, both of them just absorbing each other’s strength, he thought about what his life had gone through in the last 18 hours. He’d woken up, beaten a man to death and then come home to Grace, where he managed to both save and embarrass himself in the same breath and then gone to dinner only to come home with a new patch on his cut.

“I’ll put a dinner together tomorrow night. Invite my Wolves and you can talk about what you’re going to do as far as the patch-over is concerned. I’ll make manicotti and garlic bread.”

“What would I do without you, mia regina?”

“Well, you’d probably still be working for Uncle Red in Newark, eating good pizza and have no clue how disgusting a Jersey Breakfast Dog really is.”

“Jersey Breakfast Dogs are better than those green things Al tries to feed us in Chicago.”

“Good point. I’ll give you that one.” Grace chuckled against his body. “Have the boys come by around 6 and I’ll have everything ready.”

“You sure you’re okay with all of this? This is going to be a huge change for both of us. More responsibility, more involvement … more secrets.”

Grace looked at him and he swore he could see the eyes of a woman five times her age looking out at him. “I was born Machine. I was raised ‘Auana. I’m marrying a Jersey Wolf. I know about the secrets, the closed doors, the best way to get blood out of denim and how to clean almost anything that fires a bullet. When I was 9 years old, I knew what my Danno did and that it was illegal. It never occurred to me that what he does is wrong even though the law would say otherwise. I know you kill people, Dominic. I know you torture them. I know you intimidate them. I know someday the police are going to show up somewhere and take you away from me for some reason and those closed doors will have come in handy because I can’t tell them what I don’t know, regardless of what they think I might know. When I was 14 and I first saw you, I didn’t dare dream that I’d ever lay eyes on you again and then, all of a sudden there you were, every day. And you brought 5 Wolves with you that have become as important to me as brothers. When you came to Hawaii, I had no idea I’d ever be lucky enough to be your ol’ lady … I didn’t even know what the hell I wanted at that point I just knew I had a crush on you. And now here we are 4 years later and we’re taking the next step in our lives. And we’re taking it together. Because that’s how we do things, Dominic … for the rest of our lives, it’s together or not at all. Red and Danno have been grooming you for years … Malia’s been grooming me for months but I’ve seen what the First Lady does since I was 9 years old and she greeted me for the first time. This is who we are, Dominic. This is our life and it’ll be our kids’ lives someday.”

Dominic couldn’t respond to that. The emotion she’d put into what she’d said was going to overwhelm him if he said a word and he was pretty sure his heart had just blown into a million pieces in his chest. He stared at her, watching the commitment she had in her eyes and he nodded. “Together, then.”

“Now tell me about this compound you think you’re moving me to.”


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think we're coming to an end guys. I have a few more chapters mapped out in my head, including the wedding, and then I'm going to wrap this up. I never thought it would get this long and Grace keeps complaining to Albert that she wants privacy with her Wolf. 
> 
> I did a couple of time skips here to get us towards the end ...

The next few weeks were absolute chaos and Dominic thought for sure he was going to lose his mind. The meeting with the Wolves had gone smoothly enough; they’d decided to patch over to ‘Auana but the original members of the charter, that had come from Jersey, would have an additional patch on their cut that declared them Grace’s Wolves. He’d had several meetings with Chin and Danno, transitioning responsibility, learning more intimate secrets of the Club and settling into a new way of life. He’d had to reschedule the meeting with the realtor because of Club activity but finally, they were going to meet with her this morning. Grace was starting classes and she’d been busy with schoolwork and homework on top of her taking up more responsibility from Malia so it felt like this was the first time they’d gotten to spend any time together in weeks. 

Dominic came down the steps after his shower and took a minute to lean against the door frame leading into the kitchen, watching Grace as she was brewing coffee and getting breakfast ready. She must’ve gotten up with the birds, as his Ma used to say, because she was already showered and dressed but her sneakers were by the door which told him she’d also gone for a run. She’d pulled her hair up into a slick bun at the back of her head and she was wearing a navy and white striped skirt with a white scoop neck blouse and a pair of navy blue ballet flats. Her outfit showed maturity and responsibility; he felt like a slug next to her. He’d worn a pair of jeans and a button down shirt that he’d rolled the sleeves to mid-forearm on. He was considering sneaking back upstairs to find a different pair of pants when she called over her shoulder.

“Either come over here and kiss me or never get another cup of coffee out of me ever again, mio lupo.”

He grinned as he walked across the kitchen and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, nuzzling his face against her cheek and kissing her. “I was just admiring how beautiful you look.”

She giggled and turned in his arms, reaching up to wrap her own around his shoulders and pull him down for a proper kiss good morning. “I do clean up nice sometimes, huh? Funny how once upon a time, I seem to remember a certain Wolf complaining about how many outfits I was taking with me when I went to Minneapolis. I bet you’re glad I know how to coordinate an outfit now, huh?”

He laughed as he reached behind her for his coffee. “I still say no one needs 12 pairs of shoes, Grace. But yes, you do dress up beautifully and I promise after this cup of coffee, I’ll go change.”

She blinked and tilted her head at him, looking honestly confused. “Why?”

He took a step back and gestured towards his outfit. “You look like a classy and beautiful woman. I look like your mechanic.”

She took a step forward and put her hands on his chest. “You are the handsomest man on all of Hawaii, Dominic. If we didn’t have to meet the realtor in an hour, I’d show you exactly how much I appreciate you in a button down and tight jeans but as it is, you’re just going to have to trust me. You look like the kind of man who would be on the arm of a classy and beautiful woman.” She leaned up, brushing her lips over his and went back to putting their breakfast together. 

“Are you trying to butter me up to buy you a house big enough for more shoes, Grace?”

“Of course I am,” Grade deadpanned as she turned around and slid his plate of eggs and toast onto the kitchen island. “Now eat so we can get going. We can’t be late because you have Stones coming by this afternoon and I have to buy more shoes.”

Dominic barked out a laugh and she winked at him. Her shoes had been a running joke between them for a while, even though the originating event was a sore one. It was probably the only thing about his woman that was “girlie” … she had more shoes, boots, and sneakers than anyone he’d ever met in his life and he teased her about it relentlessly. 

***

Six weeks later, Grace was standing in the middle of their new house. Despite her resistance to living in Kaneohe again, the compound had drawn her in from the first time she’d walked through the doors. The house itself was airy and light, with huge windows and a backyard that faced out over the ocean plus it had several buildings on the property that could be used for a variety of things (such as the huge garage that was begging for her to move her bikes in). The last 2 days had been absolute chaos with people moving boxes in and unpacking everything but it had gotten done and now, the house was quiet.

She walked through the house, amazed that this was actually THEIRS (Dominic had insisted on putting both of their names on the title). When Danno and Steve had shown up yesterday, just as the movers were finished and it had just been the four of them, she’d finally felt like it was home. Steve spent most of his time in the outdoor kitchen (bonding with the grill, just leave him alone Dominic) while Danno had taken Grace for a walk along the property. As they’d reached the far end, overlooking the ocean, he’d stopped and turned to her, smiling.

“I’m proud of you, Monkey. You’ve accomplished so many things and you’re on your way to accomplishing more. You’ve grown up right in front of me and every day, I still see  you as the little girl with pigtails. I want you to know that no matter what you need, no matter what time of day or night, Danno will always be here for you. I will always protect you and I will always love you. But I’m also not going to let you fuck up either.” Danno’s tone had gone from light to very serious and his look had gone hard.

“Dominic tells me that you are not applying to West Oahu and I’d like to know why?”

Grace swallowed down her bitterness and tried to be logical. “West Oahu is a full time commitment. ‘Auana is a full time commitment. Malia is going to be a large commitment. The garage is also a commitment, although not as big because it essentially runs itself. But there’s only so much of me to go around and I have to think on what my priorities are. Getting my certification and Associates degree will get me on the path to doing what I wanted to do and I’ve been talking to some people I know in the industry. I can take a few classes here and there when I have the time but I don’t want to commit to 4 years of school when I don’t know what’s going to happen with the Club or Malia or Dominic.”

“You could get hit by a car and killed tomorrow, Grace. That’s never stopped you from getting on your bike. I could die tomorrow, but you don’t see me giving up and living in a bubble. You have the brains and the balls to completely kick ass in your field Grace. And taking on First Lady doesn’t mean everything else stops … you aren’t hefting the load by yourself. SuperSEAL and I will be here, Malia is still very healthy and aware and you have an entire army of women who can step in and help with whatever you need. Not to mention those Wolves of yours practically worship the ground you walk on. Grace, I’m telling you … I’m not asking, I’m telling … apply to West Oahu. Go to school, get your degree. Don’t stop your life just because your world got a little bigger. You’ve always taken the world on, Grace … from day one, you knew what you wanted and you went after it. Don’t stop doing that.”

Grace’s heart was thumping so loud in her chest, she could barely hear and she had tears streaming down her face. Hearing Danno’s love, even when he was being gruff, reminded her of why she’d originally wanted to go to school. It wasn’t about the engines or the notoriety … she’d wanted it because she wanted to make Danno proud of her. She was nodding her head as he wrapped her up in a hug. 

“There’s the Monkey I know. Your application is already sitting on your kitchen table. All you have to do is sign it and send it in.”

Grace laughed and leaned into Danno again. “Monkey loves you.”

***

Everyone had arrived and the house was decorated and they were just waiting for Grace to arrive. Books (formerly known as Michael) had kept her at the garage under the pretense of needing her signatures on some paperwork to give everyone time to get to the house. Today was her big day … the day she officially turned 18 and Dominic had wanted to make sure to celebrate in style. Malia, Renee and Amy had gone above and beyond with planning and the spread of food that Lana had helped Kame to prepare was overwhelming. Books had messaged Dominic 20 minutes ago saying that Grace was on her way and he was just hearing the sound of her bike coming up the driveway. 

“I swear to you Dominic, sometimes I think you forget who my fathers are.” Grace’s voice sounded from behind everyone and they all turned to look. She was standing at the patio doors, smirking.

“Books never has questions about inventory unless it’s the end of the quarter. There’s absolutely no reason whatsoever for both Renee AND Malia to be unable to meet up for a manicure with me and you always answer your phone when I call. Dad always taught me to be observant. I’m observing you trying to pull a surprise party. SURPRISE!”

Everyone was laughing and Dominic came across the room to sweep her into his arms. “So who the fuck is on your bike?”

“Books.”

“SuperSEAL, you couldn’t have been just a little lax in your training, eh? Let a guy pull off a surprise now and again?”

“Dominic, I only supplied the lessons. How she uses said intelligence is entirely Danno’s fault.”

Now everyone was roaring with laughter and the party officially started. Dominic accompanied Grace around the house as she thanked everyone for coming and once again he was blown away by how easy it seemed for her to remember little details about everyone. They were walking out into the backyard when Grace nudged him gently and tilted her chin to his left; it took him a second to see what she was pointing out to him but he grinned as soon as he realized it. Tech was standing next to Gutches, close enough that it was obvious they were together. 

“That’s your secret you didn’t want to say anything about?” 

“Yep.”

“You could have saved yourself the spying. I’ve known Tech had a thing for Wade for 3 years now. They spend more time together than we do.”

“I’m just glad they both finally admitted it. Maybe Gutches will take it easy on me in the ring now.”

“Sure he will, mia regina. Just like you take it easy on him.”

“I’m just doing my part to keep him in top physical shape so he can continue to do his job.”

“Is that what you told him when you broke his nose?” Chin’s voice came from behind the both of them and Grace blushed as they turned and saw both Chin and Malia standing behind them.

“I don’t think I managed to get that out between all the I’m so sorrys that I was repeating. I’m so glad you both could be here.” Grace let go of Dominic’s arm to embrace the older man and, for the first time, Dominic noticed the little worry lines on Chin’s normally smooth face. As she reached for Malia, there was a hesitancy on Malia’s part before she wrapped her arms around Grace’s shoulders.

“We wanted to make sure to stop by and say happy birthday before we headed out. We’re so proud of you, Ali’i and love you very much.” Chin said and Malia smiled, echoing the sentiment. Dominic noticed Chin had his hand on Malia’s elbow and he got the impression Malia wasn’t having a good night. 

“I’m so glad you could stop by. Dominic and I are always so happy to see you both. Amy wanted to come by tomorrow morning and spend some time with you, Auntie Malia, if you don’t mind? I think she needs a break from Billy and Uncle Meka.”

Malia smiled and nodded, as though she weren’t sure what she was agreeing to but was comforted by it. Moments later, Chin was leading Malia through the crowd towards the door.

“He’s going to step down soon, Dominic. She’s having more bad nights and bad mornings nowadays and the strain is showing. We should start making plans for a rideout for him. I’ll talk to the women and get some of the kids to dig an imu.” Grace sounded sad and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. 

“How do you do it, mia regina? How do you take all this in stride and make it seem so easy?”

“I know I have you to watch my back, so even if I fall, you’ll catch me.” She leaned up and kissed his cheek before going back to mingling with the crowd. 

***

“Chin Ho Kelly, you have done more for this Club than anyone could ever list. You are the best of us and your leadership will always inspire me. I don’t know that I can follow your footsteps quite so easily as you have made it all look but I’m glad to know you’re still around in case I screw it all up.” Dominic held up his glass in a toast to Chin. They’d had their ride out this afternoon, just as Grace was finishing up her winter semester and New Years was right around the corner. Malia had gone downhill quickly; much more quickly than anyone had anticipated, and Chin was stepping down as President to take care of her full time. The women of ‘Auana all came by to help and there was a live-in nurse that had worked with Malia for years to help take care of her instead of moving her to a facility. When the call had come, Grace had fallen apart and clung to Dominic all night long. 

Chin smiled and tipped his own glass in thanks. “If I thought for a second that Grace would let you screw anything up, I’d have my doubts. But just like Malia helped me, I know Grace will help you. And you have always shown leadership, loyalty and dedication to the Club that I knew you were the right choice. Thank you for taking up the reigns. I know I leave the Club in good hands.”

Grace leaned up against Dominic and hugged his side. It was official now. He was wearing the President patch on his cut and it was his name on the door to the office at the Clubhouse. Grace was so proud of him that she thought she’d never stop smiling. The day had been beautiful for a ride-out and coming back to their house, she’d loved being on the back of his ride and being so close to him. 

Later that night, after everyone had left, she showed him exactly how proud she was of him by making his back arch off the bed as he shot his load in her mouth.

***

“Dominic Robustelli, you’re under arrest for assault with intent. You have the right to remain silent …” 

Grace stood in the entryway to their house, watching as the police entered and Dominic was put in handcuffs. She stood her ground, never shedding a tear and promising that she’d get in touch with his lawyer. It was a bullshit charge and they knew it but the police had been sniffing after the ‘Auana trying to get something on the Club. Arresting the President of the Club would be seen as a coup for the police but they wouldn’t get anything from it. 

Her first call after the police left was to Dominic’s lawyer and then she called Freckles to let him know about the arrest. Her third call was to Danno because … well sometimes, no matter how old she is, a girl just needs her father.

***

“I don’t want to wait anymore, Dominic.”

He looked over at her, shock registering on his face. He was 3 months away from his release … what the fuck didn’t she want to wait for.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean when you get out, I want to get married. I don’t care if we have the huge ceremony or if it’s just us and a justice of the peace. I want my husband.”

His heart had stopped beating for a half a second. There were stories inside about women who suddenly decided they couldn’t take having a man on the inside and they broke up with them. He should have known Grace wouldn’t be like that but the fear had been simmering in the back of his mind.

“You promised Danno that he could find a big, frilly dress for you to wear so it’s gonna have to be the big wedding, mia regina.”

Grace laughed and the sound was a balm to his soul. It was a year stretch and it had been easy time once people recognized who he was but he missed being able to curl up with Grace at night. He missed his bed and his ride; missed chasing after Grace to make sure she didn’t lose herself in her homework and forget to eat. 

“Fine. But when he invites EVERYONE from Jersey, I want you to remember I gave you the chance to do it quietly.”

“What do you mean everyone?” Dominic’s heart was back to being stopped in his chest.

“All the Williamses and all the aunts and uncles and cousins from the Buonfiglio side too.”

Dominic’s heart didn’t start beating again until three hours later and the fear level had subsided.


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so let me explain.  
> This was supposed to be a cute fluffy little timestamp and it kinda got away from me. So I incorporated it. So YAY ... you guys get an extra chapter that I hadn't planned on. Albert loves you.

They were all up to something, she knew it; she just didn’t know what. And it had her on high alert. The suggestion, 2 days after Dominic had gotten out of Halawa, that they take a trip to New Jersey so he could get his knuckles done by Fingers wasn’t the suspicious part (and no, she did not need to know what they’d done to get Dominic’s parole officer to agree to that). It wasn’t even mildly disconcerting that they were planning to stay in Jersey for 6 days. She’d be willing to bet, they didn’t even realize what had tipped her off that there was something more going on here. It was the house.

She’d known the Machine used Dominic’s house much like they used any other house; if a guest of the Club were staying in town, they were put up in a member’s house that was either inside or had donated their house (such as what happened with Uncle Red’s house when he’d been killed). But there were usually at least 4 or 5 houses available at any given time and if the owner of said house were coming into town, the guest (no matter who they were) got moved to a different house. So when Dominic said they were going to be staying in a hotel, Grace had gone on alert. Of course, she hadn’t said anything because she was still observing … she wanted to see how deep this conspiracy was. Danno and Steve were coming along ‘to see the family’ and ‘check up on things’; they were also staying in the hotel. A quick search of the hotel in question showed it was on the lower end of luxury; so they wanted somewhere nice but didn’t want to tip her off that something was going on. Another search showed the hotel in question had conference rooms and a ballroom. Grace let it go there; she didn’t want to ruin the surprise again. But she did make sure to pack a nicer outfit than she would have normally brought on a trip like this.

Arriving in Newark, they were greeted by Uncle Tiny and a full Honor Guard from the Machine. Sliding behind Dominic on his ride, she enjoyed the closeness and the reminder of the first time she’d ever gotten behind him. The first time he’d called her his Queen. It was a short trip to the hotel to check in and drop off their bags before they were back on the bikes and heading to Tiny’s house for dinner. Grace was a little nervous because it was the first time she’d be representing her Club as the First Lady and she didn’t know many of the women in the Machine at all. She longed for Malia’s calming influence and was grateful that she’d had a lucid afternoon just before they left where Grace could hold the memory close. The difference in how she was treated from her last visit to this was subtle but she saw it; members who ranked among the Officers greeted them first and instead of being hugged and kissed like a child they’d known all her life, she was embraced warmly as a woman and First Lady. There was noticeably less teasing at first but it gradually warmed back up as the night wore on and they realized Grace was always going to be Gracie the Grease Monkey and Dominic wasn’t offended by their familial affection. And because the members were warm and comfortable with her, it relaxed her and made meeting their women easier. 

After the first pass around the house, she kissed Dominic’s cheek and went to find the kitchen to offer her assistance to Kelly, Tiny’s ol lady. She’d seemed nice enough but a little cold when they’d first been introduced and Grace wasn’t sure if it was because of her age difference or something else. When she turned the corner into the kitchen, she found Kelly standing in the middle of the room looking shell shocked with 5 brown paper bags of delivered food on the counters. Grace quietly shut the door and walked over to the woman.

“Hi Kelly. I came to see if I could offer a hand with anything?” Grace was careful in how she worded her offer. The woman gave Grace a sharp look, as though she expected Grace to attack her before she let out a sigh that sounded desperate.

“I have no fuckin clue what I’m doin’ in here. The most cookin’ I ever did in my life was nuke leftovers and now I’m supposed to feed all them guys out there? Tiny tol’ me there’d be maybe 10 people so I ordered some stuff but I don’t think it’s gonna feed even half the people out there and I don’t wanna let Tiny down. We’ve only been together a couple months and I get the feelin the rest of the women don’t like me much, which I could give a fuck about but that hurts the Club and I’m just so fucked. I should just say fuck it and bail insteada lettin them humiliate me like this.”

Grace winced as the woman unloaded her worry. The newness of the relationship explained why she wasn’t considered the First Lady and maybe some of the hostility she felt from the other women but her attitude wasn’t helping her win any prizes either. If she was just going to give up, she wasn’t going to last.

“Well, why don’t we see what we have and work with it. I know sometimes when I’m making dinner and all of a sudden in comes my Wolf with 10 people in tow, it’s a scramble but I can usually figure it out. No-one goes hungry at our house and they won’t go hungry here either.”

Grace started familiarizing herself with the layout of the kitchen and where everything was by asking Kelly and opening cabinets as she asked Kelly to open the bags so she could see how much food she actually had to work with. As it turned out, there was more than she’d expected and it was going to be a stretch but Grace figured they could make it work. There were 3 pans of lasagna that needed to be reheated and 3 large salads that were ready to go into bowls. There weren’t any rolls or garlic bread but that could be fixed easily enough as Grace found butter and fresh garlic. 

“Does anyone in your Club have a bakery?”

Kelly looked at her like she’d stared speaking Greek and Grace had to bite her tongue. Kelly was easily in her late 30s and had to have been around the Clubs long enough to know people … at least Grace would have thought so for her being with Tiny. 

“Why would I know that? These bitches are all out to get rid of me, not help me. And speaking of, why are you helpin me?” She’d gone back to suspicious.

Grace took a deep breath and tried her best. “I’m helping because that’s what we do. All the women in my Club come together when we have a get together like this and make sure our men are fed. The woman who used to be First Lady of my Club told me once that the men are the muscle but the women are the bone that supports them; it’s our job to make it seem effortless so they can concentrate on Club business. She taught me to always know who does what so they can help out when we do dinners. If one of the women out there has a bakery or knows a Club friendly place, we can get some rolls or some bread to make garlic bread to go with the lasagna and that’ll stretch what we have so everyone gets a good meal.” She tried smiling but Kelly just looked at her with even more hostility. 

“You wanna be Susie fuckin Homemaker, be my guest. I’m done. I ain’t here to clean a fuckin house or get to know these women.”

In a blink, Grace was alone in the kitchen and she sighed deeply. ‘So much for great first impressions.’ she thought to herself before she pulled her hair up and made a messy bun with the elastic on her wrist. There was food to be made and men to be fed and if no one else was going to do it, she could. She started by putting the lasagna into the oven to warm it up and getting the salads transferred to the large bowls she’d found in the cabinet. She scrounged through the pantry and was discouraged by the lack of basic staples. The freezer proved even less fruitful and she pulled out her phone to text her Aunt Stella to find out if she knew what the best bakery in the area was. The responding text gave her hope; she recognized the name and knew where it was. She was just turning the stove down when Tiny came into the kitchen looking more upset than she’d ever seen him.

“Hey Uncle, you okay?” Grace asked cautiously.

“I can’t believe she really did this. I mean, I knew she was a little flaky and some of the guys mentioned she wasn’t fitting in but fuck … Grace, I’m embarrassed that the Machine can-”

Grace shook her head and interrupted him. “Uncle, I’m Machine just as much as anything else. There’s no reason to be embarrassed at all. It’s not a big deal … Machine helps ‘Auana, ‘Auana helps the Machine. We’re all Red and White in the end, right? So let me take care of this so you guys can worry about whether or not I’m the best mechanic currently in Newark and I’m going to shame you all with my impressive skills.” She winked and went over to hug her Uncle, who promptly picked her up like he’d done all he life and she laughed.

“You’re a credit to your Club, Grace Williams-McGarrett. We should be so lucky that I find an ol’ lady that’s half the woman you are.”

“Now you’re just layin’ it on a little thick, don’t you think? I’m already offering to feed you but I’m not changing the oil in your bike or anything like that. Oh, speaking of … can I borrow your car and a Prospect? I have to run down to Georgio’s to get some stuff for dinner.”

Tiny led her out to the living room where she found Dominic and told him what was going on. He was standing up to go with her when she put her hand on his arm and whispered in his ear, “You’re President now. You get to stay and be all Presidential while you let your woman take care of this and make everyone jealous of how lucky you are.” She pressed a kiss to his cheek and smiled.

“Be careful Grace.”

“I asked Tiny for a Prospect to ride with me. I’ll be gone 20 minutes max, I swear.”

***

He was speaking with Oatsie when he saw the expression in his face change to confusion and then shock. He turned around and saw Kelly walking across the room towards him with her pissed-off expression. Honestly, he was getting tired of her shit and if she was having another fuckin tantrum, he was pretty much done with her. He’d met her a few months back and the sex was fucking amazing but the headache that came with it was fast getting old. He’d hoped she’d pull herself together with hosting dinner after all the times she’d told him about how she loved a big crowd and had made dinners for her family. 

“Kelly, what’s up?”

“That fuckin hawaiian bitch just came in and walked all over everything I had planned for dinner. I don’t care who the fuck she thinks she is, she’s gotta fuckin go. She insulted me, Tiny … told me I don’t know how to take care of my man. So I fuckin left her in there … I can’t be around someone like that.”

Tiny had to clench his fist and count to ten before he could even think of responding. He grabbed Kelly by the arm and dragged her outside; the few members that were outside suddenly found somewhere else to be.

“Tha fuck, Tiny? You don’t fuckin manhandl-”

“I knew you were a little loose but I didn’t think you were fuckin stupid Kelly. How does a nineteen year old girl that I have known for ALL of her nineteen years ruin this “amazing dinner” you swore you had planned out? That girl is my niece and if I hear one more bad thing fall out of that mouth of yours, we’ve got problems, you hear me?”

“I had dinner all ready to go and she waltzed into the kitchen and ruined it all, sayin I didn’t know how to take care of my Club and spoutin off some shit about how they do things down there.”

“Get out Kelly.”

“What?”

“You fuckin heard me. We’re done. Get your shit and get out.”

“What are you fuckin hard up fo-”

“Another syllable and you’re gonna find yourself on the wrong end of this club Kelly. Get.The.Fuck.Out.”

He was barely holding onto his rage and he was seeing Kelly in a new light … and it wasn’t an attractive one. He could see all the pettiness that had been growing in his club for the last month or so and now he realized where it had started. It started at the head … the woman he’d brought into the Club. She gaped at him for a minute before she spun on her heel.

“You’re a lousy fuck, Tiny. And obviously a bitch.”

Tiny turned his back on her and went back into the house, whispering to Oatsie to spread the word Kelly was persona non grata. He went to go find Dominic, assuming Grace would be with him but when that proved not to be true, he went to the kitchen to see what disaster could be salvaged. When he opened the door, he saw all the take-out bags and knew Kelly had been a lying bitch the whole time. His anger simmered down under embarrassment when he saw Grace with her hair pulled up just moving around his kitchen like she’d been there all day. When he tried to apologize, and she blew him off with such an easy manner like it wasn’t a huge insult to have the First Lady of visiting Club having to do anything, he made a note to say something to both Dominic and to her fathers about what an amazing woman they had. 

He went out to find 3 Prospects that he trusted and he told them to go with Grace. 2 on bikes as patrol and one in the truck with her and if she even looked like she was paying for anything, to make sure she knew that wasn’t going to fly. He’d pay Georgio later. Embarrassment was still churning in his stomach when he found Dominic.

“Dominic, I gotta apologize to you. This is a huge fuck-up and I can’t believe it’s happening. That woman of yours is a fuckin saint and I swear to you, Machine will make this up to you.”

“Tiny, there’s nothing to make up. This is just how Grace is, you know that as well as I do. She sees a problem and she wants to help fix it. She told me what happened with your woman.”

“Ain’t my woman no more. Ain’t no-one’s woman. I knew somethin was goin on with the club’s girls but had no idea it was all comin from her. I sent 3 prospects with Grace to make sure nothing happens.”

“I appreciate that more than anything else, man.”

“Plus she threatened to show me up as a mechanic so … yanno … bribery is everything.”

“Dude, she does that to me every day. You learn to accept it after a while.”

They both laughed and Tiny felt a little better about what had happened and he hoped that Grace’s temporary presence could at least start to soothe some of the tension in his Club. She was right that she was always gonna be considered Machine and pretty much everyone knew about what had happened and who the Williams-McGarretts were. She was a little bit of a legend in her own right with some of the women and most of the members still loved her from when she was their little Grease Monkey.

***

Dinner came together in a breeze once Grace came back to the house, armed with breads, rolls and enough pastry to make her sick of the smell of ricotta cheese. When Georgio had seen the Prospects with her and she’d explained she just needed maybe a few dozen rolls, he’d gone above and beyond. He’d given her 4 loaves of garlic bread, freshly toasted in his oven, 2 dozen mini pizzas that would just need to be heated in the oven, 4 dozen dinner rolls and she’d lost count of how many pastry he’d boxed up. She thanked him profusely and when she attempted to pay for it all, one of the Prospects told Georgio that Tiny would catch up with him later. She’d rolled her eyes and reached into her pocket and took out a $50, handing it to Georgio.

“Tiny can pay for the goods but I can make sure I take care of the service. The Machine appreciates your help and I appreciate the smell of this delicious garlic bread,” she said as she slipped the bill into his hand. 

Now she was sitting on the back stoop of Tiny’s house with a few of the Club women, laughing over stories of the Club and catching up on Newark gossip. A few of them had quietly thanked her for getting rid of Kelly and she was quick to point out she didn’t have anything to do with that. 

“All I did was go offer to help with dinner. Everything that happened after that was … I don’t know what that was. But we’re the bones that hold the Club together so I was just glad I could help, ya?”

“I remember you from when you were here a couple years ago and all that shit went down. I gotta tell you, you might live in Hawaii but you got enough Jersey badass in ya to make you good peoples. I don’t know I coulda come back from everything like you obviously did,” one of the women (Lisa? Liza?) said and Grace ducked her head.

“It was either get through it or give up and I had a good man there taking care of me.”

“Oof, good man. Grace, you hit the proverbial ol’ lady lottery with Dominic. That man is devoted.”

“Yeah, I’m a lucky girl. When he gets his knuckles tomorrow, I’m getting his mark. Then we’re getting married once we get home … eventually. We have a date, a venue and a caterer. We don’t have rings and I don’t have a dress yet but that’ll get taken care of. Honestly, I could wear jeans and be barefoot on the beach and be just as happy but my Danno says he only has one daughter and-”

“-and I will not see her getting married in jeans on a beach like some sort of heathen native. You’re my daughter and you’ll get married on that pineapple paradise wearing a dress and shoes, Grace. Shoes will be worn.” Danno’s voice interrupted from behind her and she laughed as she stood up and turned around.

“Yes Danno. Shoes. Got it. Someone will wear shoes.”

“Ladies, if you will excuse her, Dominic is looking for you.”

Grace followed Danno into the house and found Dominic in an office with Fingers and Tiny. She slid her arm into his while they finished speaking and waited. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders instead of holding her arm and she rested her head against his chest.

“Grace, Dominic, I want to formally apologize to you for tonight. You aren’t just a visiting Club, you’re returning Machine as well and you never should have had to lift a finger. I know we’re all family but I’m personally embarrassed by what I allowed to happen in my Club.” Tiny had never sounded so humble in all the time she’d known him. 

“We appreciate it but really, an apology isn’t necessary. Like you said, we were both born Machine and we know sometimes you get great people in your Club and sometimes you get blindsided by someone you thought was something they aren’t. It could happen to anyone, man. Don’t even worry about it, please.” Dominic held his hand out to Tiny and they shook. She smiled at both of them before slipping her arms around Tiny and hugging him.

“Look at it this way, at least I didn’t re-arrange your entire kitchen like I did to Dominic. He couldn’t find anything in his kitchen for … well, no, that’s not true. He still can’t find anything in my kitchen.” She grinned up at the man she’d known all her life and laughed along with him. “Although unless you plan on eating a lot of take out, you’re gonna have to do some shopping. I can ask some of the girls to take care of that for you, if you don’t mind?”

“Take out is my main food group Grace, but I appreciate it. I think I cook about as well as Dominic.”

Grace tried not to make a face but obviously failed as both men laughed. 

“Alright, I’m gonna leave you to it so Fingers can get you taken care of. You’re doin’ your knuckles, right?”

Dominic nodded and Grace tipped her head in confusion. Tonight? She thought they were getting them done tomorrow. 

“Don’t you worry Gracie girl, I’ll take care of you before you go home but I got somethin’ I gotta do tomorrow,” Fingers said in answer to her silent question and she nodded.

“No worries, Uncle. I’m sure I’ll find something to entertain myself with tomorrow.”

She didn’t miss the look that passed between Dominic and Fingers but she stayed silent. So apparently the Machine was in on whatever they were up to as well. 

She also didn’t gloat when Dominic winced as Fingers inked his pinkie, but she may have kissed a single teardrop out of the corner of his eye.


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bring tissues.
> 
> Love,
> 
> Albert

“Mia regina, wake up babe. C’mon, open your eyes. I got a hot shower running for you and coffee’s brewing,” Dominic whispered as he gently shook the curled up bundle of sheets that vaguely resembled Grace. There was a grunt that even he couldn’t clearly translate so he tried again, pulling the blankets back just enough to see her face. Sometimes, it still caught him off-guard that when she was sleeping, he could see the girl she’d been when they first met and he chuckled to himself as one eye cracked open.

“Stoo mmmrly.”

“I know it’s early but we have to go. I have something for you but we have to start moving. C’mon beautiful zombie, go shower.” Dominic carefully pulled the blankets away and watched as Grace (wearing one of his t-shirts and nothing else) stumbled toward the shower. He texted Danno and Steve as soon as she was in the shower so they could get ready to leave. The sun was just barely cracking the horizon but this was going to be worth it. The text reply from Danno let him know they were ready and just waiting on Grace.

He went to the suitcase she’d brought along with her and laid out a comfortable pair of jeans with a t-shirt and a pair of her slippahs. Since they weren’t riding, she wouldn’t need her boots and, for this surprise, she was going to want them. 

The shower turned off and he poured a mug of coffee for her to grab and he smiled at the mostly awake but confused look on her face.

“Drink your coffee and get dressed, please.”

He didn’t miss the suspicious look in her eyes. He knew she’d figured out they were doing something but he really hoped the actual surprise itself was still a surprise; from the look on her face, it was. He wished he could be there to see her face once it was revealed.

***

Grace was trying to decide between crawling back into bed until a reasonable hour and finding out what could be worth being awake this early the day after flying close to 13 hours the day before. Dominic was far too awake and way WAY too cheerful; this wasn’t natural. She slugged her coffee back and held the mug out for a second cup while she got dressed in the clothes Dominic had laid out. If this was THE surprise, Dominic knew she had packed a nicer outfit so why was she in jeans and slippahs? Why was she awake at all? Maybe this was all some horrible dream of being awake. Yes, that had to be it. The second cup of coffee went down as easily as the first and Dominic actually sat her down and braided her hair for her (something he claimed he’d missed while he was inside). 

“Where going?”

“Can’t tell you, beautiful. It’s a surprise.”

“Too early.”

“I know and I promise you can nap in the car on the ride over.”

Oh, so there was a car involved. Something far enough away that a nap was possible. What the hell were they up to? 

Dominic had finished braiding her hair and he kissed the crown of her head. 

“Danno and Steve are waiting. C’mon, mia regina.”

She let him stand her up and slid her feet into her slippahs. Her brain was 75% awake, enough to fake functionality and she obediently shuffled to the elevator and then out through the lobby where a large black SUV was waiting. 

“I love you, Grace. Have a good time.”

“You not coming?” She was really confused now.

“Nope. This is something just for you. I’ll see you this afternoon and we’ll go see Fingers for you, if you still want to go.”

He leaned down and kissed her softly, letting her insides melt like honey and she returned his kiss, her arms coming up around his shoulders. A minute later and she was in the back of the SUV, blindfolded.

“Danno, really?”

“Really Monkey. This is the ultimate surprise and I don’t want anything to give it away.”

Dad was driving and eventually Grace did manage to drift off a little, trusting her surroundings. She had no idea how long had passed when the truck came to a stop and she heard Danno telling her it was okay to take off her blindfold. She untied the black material from behind her head and blinked the sleep out of her eyes. The door opened and she was instantly on alert, as Danno and Dad were both still in the front seats. A well dressed man was holding a white gloved hand out to her and she raised her eyes to see where they were. 

“Oh my G … Oh … Oh Danno! Daddy! Is this … I mean … really?”

She blinked again and she heard both of her fathers chuckling, as well as the man still holding his hand out to her. She took it and stepped down out of the SUV as she heard her fathers coming out of their doors as well. A second later, she was wrapping herself around both of them, laughing and squealing and jumping up and down. She looked again, just to be sure.

Kleinfeld’s of New York. The gleaming glass doors were opening and suddenly, she was inside. Her cheeks were already hurting from smiling as she looked around at the cream and white receiving room, with the chandeliers and the dresses on display. She looked at Danno who was smiling brighter than she’d ever remembered seeing and she hugged him again.

“This was totally worth waking up too early to be alive for!”

She heard Daddy chuckling behind her and someone else clearing their throat. She pulled herself away from Danno and tried to look mature and not like a complete idiot. A woman stood just out of arm’s reach with a warm smile on her face. 

“You must be Grace. I’m Michelle and I’m going to help take care of you today.” The woman approached and offered her hand to Grace and then Danno and Dad. “Can I offer you water or perhaps some coffee while we chat about what we’re going to look at and do today?”

“Coffee would be great, thank you. I think Grace here is still a little overwhelmed.” Dad said, his hand on her shoulder and she smiled up at him appreciatively.

“I knew you guys were up to something but this? This, I never expected. I thought it was a bridal shower with Danno’s family.”

Danno and Steve laughed and clapped each other on the shoulder. 

“Finally! I swear Monkey, I thought we were never going to pull this off. What gave it away that we were up to something?”

“The hotel.”

Danno looked confused for a minute and so Grace explained. “There are seven houses that Uncle Tiny uses to entertain guests and visitors to Newark. Club policy has always been that if the owner of said house is in town, the guests are moved to another house or put up in a hotel so the owner can have his own house. When Dominic said we were staying at a hotel and you guys were staying in the same hotel, I figured something was up.”

Daddy laughed behind her just as Michelle came back to walk them through to her sitting room, where she had coffee waiting … along with Stella, Diane and Clara Williams. Grace smiled even brighter and ran over to hug each of them. 

“Well, first I guess congratulations are in order for your fathers. When they called to book your appointment, they told me they didn’t think they’d manage to surprise you but from the looks of it, they did. So congratulations to you both but also to you Grace, for your engagement. I’m so glad you’ve chosen Kleinfeld’s as your bridal shop and I’m sure we can find the perfect dress for you.”

Grace smiled, sipping her coffee and nodding. She really wasn’t hearing what Michelle was saying so much as she was just buzzing along with her heart racing in her chest. She was really HERE! For all that she was pretty low-key when it came to her everyday wardrobe and she really wasn’t a frilly girlie girl … wedding dresses just made you feel like a princess no matter what and that’s what she was experiencing. 

“Now, Grace, I’m going to have a few questions for you, if you’re ready?”

“Sure.”

“I guess the first question is, have you looked at any dresses online or in magazines that you liked the style of?”

Grace blushed into her coffee and averted her eyes. “I think I might be the worst bride ever because I really haven’t. I mean, we have a date, venue, caterer, groom … but I don’t really put a lot of thought into what I’m wearing every day. I guess that sort of translated over to my wedding dress?”

Michelle chuckled a little and wrote a note on her clipboard. “That’s actually better than you’d think. It means you aren’t coming in with a preconceived idea of what you want and aren’t willing to look at other styles that might be complimentary. You said you have a venue. I know you live in Hawaii so is it indoors or outside?”

“Danno said I can’t be a native heathen, getting married barefoot on the beach. Apparently someone has to wear shoes to my wedding and I’m nominating Dominic for that task but we are getting married sort of indoors and sort of outdoors. My parents are hosting the wedding on their property. We have a gazebo that the actual ceremony will take place in and then the rest of the yard will host the reception, at which point, shoes will be off.”

“Danny, you can’t make us wear shoes. If I’m going to a wedding for my favorite niece, you can bet your ass I’m not wearing shoes! Grace, don’t wear shoes if you don’t want to,” Stella said, hugging Grace’s shoulders. Everyone erupted into laughter while Danno just rolled his eyes.

“And the last question, which is always the tough one, is what budget are we looking at?”

Grace blinked for a minute and tried to scramble her brain together, thinking of what she’d be willing to spend on a dress. Before she could answer, Steve spoke up. “Don’t worry about the budget. We want to find the perfect dress for our Ali’i.”

Grace almost dropped her mug as she turned and looked at both of her fathers, shock making her eyes go wide. “Dad … no. I can’t let you do that.”

“When, exactly, did this become a democracy? Danno told you what you’re eating and where your wedding is, not to mention he’s insisting on shoes for all of us. Don’t I get to make ultimatums too?” Dad winked at her and she burst out laughing. When she turned back towards Michelle, she was wearing a confused expression on her face.

“Apparently, I’m just here to be the pretty bride and have no say in my own wedding other than who I’m marrying and when. But I did promise Danno that I wouldn’t wear canvas and that I’ll stay away from my bike for at least three days before the ceremony, just in case.”

“And thank God for that. The last time I visited them, I couldn’t figure out why there was a shower outside until Grace got home from work. She has to shower OUTSIDE before she comes into the house or that whole house would be covered in grease,” Clara volunteered.

Michelle’s steadfast smile was starting to waver and Grace took pity on the woman. “I’m a mechanic and I own my own shop on Oahu. I’m the least girlie bride you’ll ever see in your life probably and I’m still in school getting my degree in Engineering and Business Administration. My husb … fiancee works in the shop with me and we’re usually both covered in grease and oil when we get home. I’ve been working on engines since I was about 7 years old and I rode motocross for a few years.”

Michelle’s smile relaxed and she had a bit of a gleam in her eye. “Grace Williams-McGarrett! Of course! I should have put the name together, I knew I recognized you from somewhere. You took gold in the overall at the ‘18 X Games, right?”

Grace blushed and nodded. The truth was, despite her not competing in the final heat, her overall scores had been enough for her to take the gold and she’d received a very nice letter from the organizers explaining they would love to have her come to their offices to collect her medal and take a few pictures but, at the time, it had been too painful for her to even think about it. Eventually, the medal had been shipped to her with a congratulatory letter and an open invitation to return to the Games whenever she wanted or to be a commentator at the next Games. The medal was in a shadowbox in her office at the house and the letter was framed beside it. That was as close to motocross as she was getting, outside of her weekend trips to Mamo’s to teach the kids how to ride and the time she spent with Josh, helping him learn his tricks. He was good and he wanted to go to the Games someday so Grace was helping him get his basics down.

“Yeah, that was me. But I had an accident so I don’t ride anymore.” That was Grace’s standard answer whenever someone asked about her career. It was easier than the truth.

Michelle took it in stride, seeming to notice it was a sore subject and smiled again. 

“Well, this is where I’m going to steal you away to one of our fitting rooms and have you try on some dresses and we’ll see what works and what doesn’t, how’s that?”

Thirty minutes later, Michelle came into the fitting room, where Grace was wearing a dressing gown and her underwear, carrying an armload of dresses of all styles and a few colors. Grace stared at the mountain of tulle and lace and satin and felt panic go straight down through her entire body. There was no way she was going to be able to move in some of those dresses, let alone walk!

“Okay, let’s relax for a second. I can see the panic in your eyes, honey and it’s okay. It’s a little overwhelming at first but I promise, we’re going to whittle this pile down very quickly. First impressions, point out any dress you know you hate, just on sight and we’ll get rid of those right now.”

Grace smiled and pointed at 4 dresses that were, to her eye, hideous or gaudy. Immediately, Michelle handed those dresses out the door to a waiting assistant. Surprisingly, that left Grace with a peace of mind now that the tulle seemed to be under control. 

“Alright, so no princess gowns for this girl. Honestly, they would overwhelm you anyway with you being so petite. Now, personally I’m going to recommend that we stick to a sheath dress style with maybe a little bit of a fuller skirt. Nothing huge, like those princess gowns, I promise. Let’s start with …,” Michelle’s voice trailed off as she looked at the dresses and she pulled one free and held it up to Grace before putting it back. She did this twice more before she finally took out a dress that she smiled and handed to Grace. 

“Let’s start with this one. It’s uncomplicated, like you are and the sheath ballgown style I think will compliment you nicely. Go ahead and try this one on while I step out and we’ll get you fitted in so we can show your family.”

Michelle stepped out and Grace dropped her dressing gown. The minute she stepped into the dress and pulled it up to slide her arms through the sheer sleeves, she knew this wasn’t her dress. When she called Michelle back in and she’d pulled the dress with clamps to show Grace what the dress would look like after it was altered, she hated it even more. 

“You don’t like it, do you?”

“Nope. I mean, I think I like the style but … the sleeves are too much. I almost never wear sleeves and I think they’d be hot in Hawaii.”

“Fair enough. Let’s try this one instead.”

The process was repeated twice more before Grace stepped into what she considered HER dress. The second she pulled the sleeveless straps over her shoulders and saw the lace design on the bodice, she was in love. She called Michelle back in and she was grinning.

“This one. I want to show them this one.”

Michelle laughed and nodded, asking her to turn around so she could clamp it in place. Once it was fitted, Grace was even more in love. The skirt was filmy and gauzy but wasn’t overly full and the bodice was lace and sequins. Michelle was telling her it was by a designer named Costarellos Christos but Grace was barely hearing her. It was taking all her willpower not to run out to the sitting room and when she finally came around the corner and saw everyone’s faces, she knew this was it. Michelle put her up on the pedestal in front of a three sided mirror and Grace just lost it. Her heart was slamming in her chest and she was shaking so bad she had to hold her arms; tears were brimming in her eyes and she felt like every stereotypical bride she’d ever made fun of as a kid in Hawaii (and there had been a LOT of them to make fun of). 

“Monkey …” Danno’s voice faltered and she looked up at him in the mirror. He was close to tears too and he was holding on by a thread. 

“Ali’i, uʻi ʻoe.”

Hearing her Dad tell her she was beautiful was the last straw. Tears went streaming down her face and she turned around to look at all of them. 

“Aloha nui wau iā ʻoe, makuakāne a Danno.”

“We love you too, Monkey. You look so beautiful.” Danno was smiling and wiping at his eyes with the back of his hands. 

“Grace, honey. This dress is perfect. You look like an angel. Dominic is gonna pass out with how beautiful you look,” Diane offered, smiling brightly. 

Clara and Stella echoed the sentiment and then everyone was crying. 

“So I’m thinking this is the dress?” Michelle asked, looking at all of them and they all nodded. She handed Grace a box of tissues and asked about a veil, which Grace immediately declined. 

“No. We’re going to wear Haku.” At Michelle’s puzzled expression Grace explained about the traditional Hawaiian floral lei that is worn on the heads of brides and grooms as well as luau performers. 

The next 2 hours were spent getting measured everywhere imaginable and having the dress pinned and scrunched and adjusted to the point Grace was getting annoyed. Finally, when she thought she was going to lose it, Michelle smiled and told her she could put her regular clothes back on. By the time she’d changed back into her own clothes and made her way to the sitting room, everyone was waiting and she had follow-up appointments scheduled for fittings leading up to the date of her actual wedding. 


	40. Chapter 40

Grace was still floating when they got back to the hotel and as soon as she saw Dominic, she ran up to him and wrapped herself around his body, hugging him close. “I love you.”

She felt him laugh and kiss the top of her head. “I love you too but I take absolute zero credit for anything you did today. That was all Danno and SuperSEAL. All I did was … enable.”

Now it was her turn to laugh. “So you were their accomplice.”

“Yes, I’ll admit to that one even without checking with my lawyer first.”

Grace squeezed him closer and listened to his heartbeat. It had only been three days since he’d gotten out and she’d missed him every second he was inside. True to their word, the Club had taken care to make sure she had anything and everything she needed and they kept her busy but at night, when she had no-one in the bed with her and she was curled up with one of his shirts, there was nothing to stop her from thinking about him or worrying about him. There were a handful of Club members inside that she knew he’d be safe but it was still jail and things happened in jail. And, as though he could hear her thoughts, she felt him squeeze her a little tighter and wrap his arms a little more closely around her shoulders. 

“I’m here, mia regina. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere. The Queen’s Wolf and I’ll take care of you forever.” The rumble of his voice in his chest echoed in her ear and made her smile. 

“My Wolf promised me a visit to Fingers today, or was that just to get me out of the bed this morning?”

“Nope. As soon as you stop squeezing all the oxygen out of my body, Fingers is waiting for us at his house.”

“Getting demanding now? Wanting things like ‘oxygen’? I thought I was all you’d ever need?” Grace teased as she let him go, only to gasp in surprise as he swept her up into his arms and carried her, princess style, over to a waiting bike.

“You’re all I want, but I may occasionally need things like food, oxygen, water … gas in my bike.”

“Because you’re so good at remembering to keep gas in your bike?” She was never going to stop teasing him about forgetting to shut his bike off.

“That’s what I need you for. To remind me of these things.” He kissed her again before putting her down and handing her the helmet that was sitting on the seat. She buckled it into place as he sat down and then climbed behind him, tucking her hands around his waist and molding her chest to his back. She loved the feeling of his strong body against hers which is why, when given the option, she chose to ride bitch instead of getting her own bike for this trip. 

The ride to Fingers’ place didn’t take long and he was on the front porch waiting for them when Dominic pulled up. As soon as she was off the bike, she was up the steps and hugging him. 

“Thank you, Uncle.”

“For what? I didn’t do nothin,” was his gruff reply, but she could hear the pride in it.

“For doing his knuckles last night so you can concentrate on me today, of course. Was there something else that you were involved with that I am unaware of?” Grace teased and was granted one of Fingers’ rare smiles. 

“Today is all about the Wolf’s Queen and I’m going to do the very best ink of my life for you. Not that you’ll notice, sleepy girl.”

Grace laughed as they went into the house, Dominic holding the door for her to follow Fingers. 

“Alright, just like last time, I’m going to freehand you Grace. But I need to know what she’s gettin so I can think on it a minute.”

Grace waited while it sunk in with Dominic, biting the inside of her lip. She’d made the decision to let it be a real mark, one Dominic decided on and had told Fingers as much. She counted the seconds and reached 8 before Dominic turned to look at her and she could see the surprised pride in his eyes.

“You sure, mia regina?”

She nodded before responding, “This is your mark, Dominic. This is your claim on me and I want you to decide what it should be and where.”

***

His head was reeling. He was looking at her and he was hearing her but his brain had frozen. The words “your claim” circled around in his head over and over and an idea formed. He smiled and pulled her braid to the side while turning her body so her back was to Fingers. Trailing his fingers just along the bottom of her neck, in a scoop design, he told Fingers what he wanted.

“Here to here, The Wolf’s Queen. And then here,” Dominic moved his fingers to the base of her neck, “a crown with a set of fangs.” He felt her shiver with every touch but he could also see the smile playing on her lips. He remembered her telling him that SEAL had done the same thing for Danno; a sign of their commitment and devotion. And if Danno had felt half of what he was feeling right this second, it’s no surprise they’d wound up ripping the sheets on the bed once they got home. Shock had turned into arousal as Fingers instructed Grace to strip down to her bra and to lay down on the table. 

She pulled her shirt off and got up onto the table, putting her hands under her chin as she looked at him with a smile. He could tell she knew what he was thinking by the way she smiled and he managed to crouch down by her head (uncomfortably but completely worth it). 

“Apparently I’m not the only one with a surprise planned?”

“Well … I remember our conversation the day we got our violets done, the morning after Daddy had his done. And I remember throwing away the ruined sheets, too.”

If it were possible for her eyes to get any darker, he was sure they would be black … just as he was sure as soon as her tattoo was done, he was taking her back to the hotel. Originally the plan had been for them to meet at Tiny’s house for dinner (already arranged for delivery from Esposito’s) but there was absolutely no way he would be able to wait that long. He leaned forward and kissed her, his hand on the back of her head for a moment before leaning back.

“If you two are done movin’ around, I know what I’m doin and I got my setup done.”

“Go for it. I can’t wait to see it!” she answered and laid her cheek down on her hands, letting her eyes drift closed. 

“How can you sleep through this?”

“I’m a freak. Now shh. Someone woke me up way too early this morning and I need a nap to replenish my energy for later.” Grace’s double entendre wasn’t missed by either man. Fingers snorted and sat down, cleaning the area between her shoulder blades an lower neck. In the end, the way Dominic envisioned it, the ink would look like a necklace going down her back. 

Fingers started working and Dominic watched as the ink embedded his mark in her back, draping between her shoulder blades and listened to the sound of Grace starting to drift off to sleep. He chuckled at the first snore and turned his attention back to Fingers’ work.

“Here’s what I’m gonna do, if you like it. See how I’m outlinin the letters insteada keepin em all black? I was thinkin of shadin the letters from left to right. Violet over here for Jersey and then pink over here for Hawaii. And the fangs up in the center, but instead of havin it look like the fangs surroundin the crown, I’d make the crown about so wide,” Fingers indicated about a 3 inch wide space above the lettering, “and have the crown made up of the fangs themselves. But just to keep everyone happy, and not to confuse no one, put a set of just your incisors above the crown. So it’d be three parts; the fang over the crown of teeth and then the lettering across like a necklace. Whaddya think?”

Dominic looked at Grace’s exposed back and tried to visualize it. For some reason, the crown of fangs just didn’t sound right. “Can you make it into a jeweled tiara instead of a crown and hang it off the lower fang?”

Fingers sat back for a minute and then nodded. “Yep. That’d work and prolly look better on your girl. Since, yanno, she’s so delicate.”

“Like a sledgehammer.”

Both men laughed and heard Grace grumble, “Shup.” before falling back to sleep.

In the end, the mark took 4.5 hours to complete and Grace slept through the entire thing. The low simmer of arousal was a constant thing in the back of Dominic’s mind but it became easier to ignore as he realized exactly what Grace had given him. Not just a mark, something that could be easily covered over if things had ever failed between them … she’d given him a commitment for the rest of her life. There was no covering a mark this size and she had not only given him free reign of what it was but laid down knowing how large it was going to be. As soon as Dominic saw the finished piece, he was awestruck by how beautiful it was and how it fit Grace. 

“Save that design in your head, Fingers. Since you already made us “that” couple with the violets, might as well continue the theme.”

“Aww, you gonna let me put The Wolf’s Queen on your back too, kid?” Fingers barked out a laugh as Dominic rolled his eyes.

“Go fuck yourself, old man.”

“Nah, I got an ol’ lady for that. Speakin of, wake yours up and get outta here. The two of you anything like her fathers, at least make it back to the hotel first, eh? They barely made it outta the door and there’s things I don’t need to know about that girl right there, you hear me?”

Dominic swallowed hard and all of a sudden, it was back in full force. This was his woman carrying the biggest ownership mark he’d ever seen on anyone … a declaration of who she belonged to that could be seen through almost every t-shirt she owned … Christ, would probably show through her wedding dress … and didn’t that just make his cock even harder. Now he wondered what her dress looked like … would the mark show through or was it completely open? He could wait for the dress … but the hotel? He could barely hold himself together.

“Mia regina. Wake up, Grace. You’re done.”

Her eyes were open in an instant and she was looking at him like she wanted to eat him alive. Apparently he wasn’t the only one turned on by the mark.

“He’ll have The Queen’s Wolf, Uncle. Right across his chest, where my Dad has Leave No Man Behind and the fangs and crown on his back. And he’s going to take me back to the hotel right now.”

Fingers laughed and disappeared into the house while Grace stood up and very carefully put her shirt back on. 

“Get me to the hotel, Dominic or my Uncle is gonna know things about you that I’m sure he never wanted to know either.”


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you squint, there's some plot ... but you'd have to be squinting pretty hard. Albert is apparently on a roll ... or he's just horny.

One does not appreciate the ability to hold onto someone’s waist on a motorcycle while traveling at upwards of 50 miles an hour while feeling like their back is on fire until they are doing so while trying NOT to just grind their also burning pussy against the rumble of the bike or the man they are trying to hold on to. At least, that’s what Grace felt for the 12 minutes and 45 seconds it took to get from Fingers’ place to the hotel. 

And then the 2 minutes and 9 seconds it took to get from the parking lot, through the lobby and then up to their room. Thankfully, once the hotel room door clicked shut, she was able to discover that her man was, in fact, as sturdy as an oak tree; she had him pinned up against said door with her hands on his jeans before he’d really even had the chance to turn fully around. He loomed over her (being a foot taller than she was, looming just happened) with his hands doing just the same to her own jeans and it took less than 25 seconds before they were both naked and Grace was wrapping her legs around his waist and he was buried inside of her. 

Their lips crashed together and it was only his hands under her ass that held her up because her hands were braced against the door behind him, giving her the leverage she needed to roll her hips and feel him all the way inside her body. She could feel the burning hot friction between them and her brain was trying to come online long enough to tell her something was missing but she didn’t care. The world was going to see the most beautiful ownership mark any woman had ever worn for their man and she was going to wear it proudly; she’d walk around in backless halter tops the rest of her life if she could. But right now, Grace and Dominic … the Wolf and his Queen … teeth clacking, lips swollen, legs flexing together as he thrust up into her body and the connection between them was cemented. She could feel her body responding; her orgasm was chasing quick and hard down her spine and she took her hands off the wall to dig her fingers into his shoulders, breaking their kiss so she could look him right in the eye.

His hands dug into the flesh of her ass and she knew he was leaving bruises that would make riding uncomfortable but she didn’t care. She cared about this moment, right now … no noise other than the sound of their panting breath and the slap of skin against skin … she cared about the feeling of his cock throbbing and pulsing inside of her … she cared about her own orgasm as it slammed straight up through her body as she felt him cumming inside of her. Her legs locked around his waist, holding their bodies as close together as possible while they looked into each other’s eyes. They both knew exactly what they were doing … it was stupid and reckless and dangerous and beautiful and full of love.

“Mia moglie, mia bellezza, la mia Grace. Sei stato la parte mancante di me tutta la mia vita e ora sei mia per il resto di esso. Voglio vedere domani mattina, addormento con voi durante la notte, vediamo rotonda con i nostri figli e correre il mondo proprio accanto a me. Ti amo con tutto il mio cuore e l'anima. Ho bisogno di te per sempre,” he whispered almost reverently and she clung to him, kissing him gently. She could make out about 3/4 of what he’d said … but his intent was 100% clear.

“Always, my Wolf … my heart. I don’t care if you marry me or if we never get around to it. When you were inside, I missed you so much I could barely think and knowing a wedding was coming is the only thing that kept me sane. But this … today … fuck, I don’t even know what my back looks like but I know it was our wedding. You own me and you belong to me. Fingers is going to ink your chest tomorrow so everyone knows who YOU belong to just like they know who I belong to.”

She touched her forehead to his, feeling their bodies pulsing even now with aftershocks and still with her legs locked around his waist and her fingers dug into his shoulders; their eyes looking into each other and seeing the truth of everything they wanted. 

***

“Help me, please?” Grace asked him from the bathroom and he stood up to see what she needed help with. He chuckled when he saw her; she was trying to put a tank top on but could barely lift her arms over her head.

“How about I grease your ink first and then help you? It’ll keep you from hurting too bad,” he replied, kissing the top of her head. After the mind-blowing fucking they’d done as soon as they were through the door, he’d showered while she’d wiped herself down with a warm cloth and they realized they still had plenty of time to get to Tiny’s for dinner and not even be late. He couldn’t bring himself to feel even a little bad about cumming inside of her without a condom again; the moment had been too perfect and they were together for the rest of their lives, no matter what happened. But, as she’d said the only other time they’d done this, he wasn’t planning on making a habit of it. He reached for the Tattoo Goo and washed his hands before he started to apply the slick to her fresh ink. 

“You do realize that when that dream comes true, you’ll be doing this to my belly, right?” His hand froze and he looked at her in the mirror.

She was smiling at him in that adorably sarcastic way. “I know what figlio means. The rest is pretty easy to figure out from there. And someday, when it’s right, you will slather me in cocoa butter and feed me poi and pickles.” She winked in her reflection before she turned around and pulled him down to kiss him gently. “Our sons will be strong like their father and our daughters will kick ass like their mother.”

Dominic really couldn’t form a thought. The visual of Grace, sitting in their backyard with her belly round with a baby was stuck in his head. He didn’t even realize he’d reached down and put his hand against her stomach until she laughed and playfully pushed it away.

“Not yet, Mr. Robustelli. I’m pretty sure we’re safe on this one … but someday.”

“You realize, Mrs. Robustelli, that the first time you ask me for a Jersey Breakfast Dog at 2am, I’m going to laugh at you, right? My kids? They’ll want the Jersey Breakfast Dog.”

“So long as we can both agree that if our children ever meet Al, he can’t feed them that neon green crap.”

“Done.”

They laughed and he kissed her again, whispering against her lips, “Someday.”

***

Grace and Dominic arrived just as everyone else was starting to show up and, as they made their rounds of the house, Tiny was sitting with Danno and Steve. The three men watched as Grace charmed everyone and was laughing and joking with the women of the Club; somehow already easing the tension that had been present even 24 hours previous with Kelly as a part of the Club. 

“I remember her the day she came home from the hospital. She was this tiny little thing in your arms with a mouth and a set of lungs that demanded to be heard. Look at her now, twenty years later. Quieter but she’s an even bigger presence than she was then. Danno, Steve … I gotta hand it to you. That’s a fine woman you raised,” Tiny said and he heard both men agree.

“Well you know … she comes from good people, meaning me. And I exposed her to good people, meaning you and Red. Then SuperSEAL over here … eh, he might have contributed a little somethin’ as well but he corrupted her too. She eats granola and yoghurt for breakfast and thinks Jersey Breakfast Dogs are disgusting. But, all things considered, I don’t think I’d have done as good a job with her these last few years if he hadn’t been around either.”

“You know, you two fuckin kill me. I don’t know how you put up with him, SEAL. All that humility in such a tiny littl … OOF!” Tiny gasped as Danno slugged him in the shoulder and started laughing out loud.

“Fuck you, Tiny. My kid used you as a jungle gym until she was … hell, I bet she still could.”

“From the looks of her back, the only one she’s using as a jungle gym is that tree she’s married to.”

“Yeah I saw it. Fingers did a real nice job on it. She told me she was lettin Dominic decided where and what. No idea where she’d get an idea like that from.” Danno turned to look at Steve and grinned. “And if she slept through THAT one, I’m officially leaving you because you had way too much influence over my little girl.”

“Ya might wanna start packin then, Danno.” Fingers said from behind him. “Girl fell asleep almost as soon as the ink started to flow. Snored like a bullhorn too.”

“Jesus, Steven. What did you do to my little girl?”

“I made sure she knew how to compartmentalize. As I’ve said before, I only provide the lesso-”

“-the lesson. How I choose to enact that lesson is entirely on me.” Grace interrupted, leaning forward to hug and kiss both Danno and Steve. “Sorry it took us so long to get over here. I was talking to Hayley D’Amiglio about helping out with a few things. Uncle, do you mind if Hayley gives me a hand with getting dinner ready for you guys?”

Tiny looked up at the woman Grace was indicating and shook his head. “No. Hayley’s a good girl. Her brother’s one of ours but he’s inside right now so we’re taking care of her. She don’t have an ol’ man?”

“Nope. She’s never been on anyone’s bike but her brothers. I appreciate it, Uncle, thanks.”

“Wait … I thought we ordered pizza?” Tiny looked at Grace again, confused. She laughed and leaned over to kiss his cheek.

“We did. But it still needs to be served and there’s … You know what, don’t worry about it Uncle. Hayley and I can handle it.”

Grace leaned up and kissed Dominic’s cheek. “You mind, mio lupo?”

“Go on. I know you’re itchy to re-distribute a new kitchen.” Dominic laughed.

As she turned, giving all of them a much closer view of her back, Tiny heard Danno laugh.

“Yanno, when she said she was lettin you decide on her mark, I figured you’d go for somethin simple. A fang, or your name or somethin. But you went all out and I gotta say … it’s a beautiful piece. You chose good, son.”

“Thanks Danno. When she told me she was letting me decide, I almost passed out but the idea came to me right away. She knew before she fell asleep what she was gettin’. Speakin of, Fingers, you got time tomorrow?”

Tiny tilted his head as Dominic asked and Fingers nodded. “Come by the house in the afternoon, say 5 or so and I can get you done.”

“What are you gettin done now?” Tiny asked and Dominic grinned.

“The Queen’s Wolf right across here,” he indicated his chest, “with the same crown and fang mark on my back.”

“What is it with you two and the matching ink?” SEAL asked, laughing.

“Hey, the first one wasn’t our idea. That was all him.” Dominic pointed at Fingers, who grinned.

“I always told Gracie when she was a little thing, she’d know the guy for her when he was willing to get the same ink she had.”

***

Grace and Hayley were in the middle of cleaning up Tiny’s kitchen after dinner had been served and a few other ol’ ladies were helping to clear up the living room so the men cleared out of the house and went into the backyard, which was shared with his neighbors on either side who happened to also be Machine so there was plenty of room. 

“You know, twenty four hours ago, everyone would have cleared outta here already and I’d be the one cleanin up the house. You sure I can’t convince you to come live in Newark at least half the year, Wolf?”

Dominic laughed and clapped Tiny’s shoulder. “I promise we’ll visit, how’s that? We can be the only people in the world who leave Hawaii to vacation in Newark.”

“Ahem. Not to disagree with my President or nothin but uhh …” Danno pointed between himself and Steve. “Sadly, we fall into the same category. We all got roots here.”

Dominic nodded and tipped his iced tea in Danno’s direction. “A fine point. We’re all Machine and we’re all ‘Auana. But when is the Machine gonna come visit us in paradise?”

“When you put a ring on that girl’s finger, all proper like. I already bought my tickets, as did pretty much every other member of the Club. Newark ain’t gonna know what to do with itself for 3 days with no Machine around.”

“Good. We’ll be glad to have you and I think Newark will survive. But if not, we’ll come back and help you put it back to rights.” Dominic grinned. He liked Tiny, always had. And he’d done a stellar job of taking over once Red was gone and Danno stepped down; his choice in ol’ lady notwithstanding. “We’ll send you back with an appreciation for pineapples and surfboards.”

“You have a better chance of gettin’ that kid Freckles to tan than you do of gettin me on a surfboard, Wolf. You gotta know that.”

“Fair enough.”

They sat in quiet contemplation for a while, watching the women bustling around inside the house and every once in a while, Dominic caught a glimpse of Grace and he couldn’t stop the smile that came to his face. She was in “director” mode … He could almost hear her making gentle suggestions to the other women about what needed to be done, even as she took up her own lion’s share of the work. She’d pulled her braid up into a bun and he imagined it was because feeling it tickle against the fresh ink on her back was annoying. Thinking about that fresh ink reminded him of what they’d done just after she got said fresh ink and he felt his cock twitching again. Suddenly he was overcome with the urge to take her back to the hotel. 

“Stella came by this afternoon, after you guys finished in the city, and picked up the keys. Said they should have everything ready for Saturday afternoon and I know a couple of the girls from the Club are gonna drop by. I warned Stella and she said it was fine.” Tiny was talking and Dominic nodded. The plan was for Danno’s family to have a wedding shower for Grace at his house on Saturday, which is why they weren’t staying at the house and it didn’t surprise him that some of the Club girls wanted to attend. Grace had made quite an impression in her few days here.

“How are things going at the garage?” Dominic turned his attention to business, hoping to distract himself from the mental image currently crowding the forefront of his brain. And sure enough, within minutes, he was lost in talk of the Club, the garage and leadership roles. 

***

Grace glanced out the window at Dominic, seated with the Officers of the Machine plus Danno and Dad. She grinned at how comfortable he was and how easy it had been for him to slip into the role of President. She could still feel the ache between her thighs from where they’d fucked earlier and she was looking forward to a protected repeat performance when they got back to the hotel tonight. For now, however, the house needed a good cleaning up after the dinner and most of the ol’ ladies were helping out which was apparently a radical difference from previous get togethers. 

“Honest to fuckin God, does a single one of these guys even know what a dishwasher is?” Liza was laughing as she was washing up some of the serving dishes they’d used.

“They can’t straddle it or put gas in it, it doesn’t exist,” came the reply from Hayley, who laughed right along with everyone. 

“Oh come on now. My Joe, he knows what the dishwasher is. It’s the thing he pulls his coffee mug out of every morning. One of these days, I swear I’m gonna get up at like 4am and put all the dishes away and wait for him to panic that someone broke into the house and stole his fuckin mugs!” An older woman named Georgia volunteered and everyone was doubled over laughing. Grace was scrubbing the counters and she could hear a few of the ol’ ladies in the other room as they moved furniture around and helped tidy up. Grace hadn’t done anything more than suggest they get the house back to order and the ladies had all pitched in and started sharing stories about their men. 

“Okay, I gotta ask because it’s killin me. How the fuck did you sit still for that piece to come out so goddamned perfect, Grace?”

Grace blushed and turned to throw her sponge into the sink. “I slept through it.”

“No fuckin way. You gotta be shittin me. You tellin me you SLEPT through that?”

“Yep. Something about it just puts me right out. Slept through my foot too.” She tilted her foot to the side so they could see the violet and vine work going back to her heel.

“Yeah, you officially are the most badass bitch I know,” Hayley responded in awe.

“Apparently I’m a badass who snores, according to Fingers. My Wolf, he won’t ever admit to me whether I snore or not.”

That set everyone off again and they were on to talking about their men and whether they snore, fart or talk in their sleep. Grace loved being here tonight, the atmosphere being so different from the night before. Tonight felt more like home, the women of ‘Auana all gathering up in the kitchen to help clean up and gossiping or sharing stories. She’d learned as much about cleaning a house as she did how to make a really great pork lau-lau from spending time with the women of her Club and here, she was learning about which sausage is the best for peppers and onions and which schools were the best for the kids to attend. 

“There somethin we should know, Miss Grace?” 

Grace was shaken out of her reverie by the teasing tone of Marla, one of the oldest women in the Club. Grace was confused for a minute before she realized, she’d put her hand down against her belly.

“Oh fuck no. No, no no. Dominic and I talked about it and we agree that someday we’d like to have a couple of kids but not right now. And we make sure of that with every form of protection available. I just … I was daydreaming.”

There was a half sarcastic, half romantic “awww” from the women gathered in the kitchen and Grace stuck her tongue out at all of them.

“Just remember, Gracie girl. You’re a woman of the Red and White … you can do anything and everything, usually at the same time. Don’t let someday become should have.” Marla whispered as she passed by on her way to go check on her ol’ man. The house was pretty much done and the women were going out to find their men so Grace did one more walk-through of the house with Hayley trailing her before going out to find Dominic.

***

They waited just outside the circle of men to finish talking before approaching them. Grace slid down beside Dominic and tapped the seat on the other side of her for Hayley to join them. Hayley smiled appreciatively and made herself comfortable, after being introduced to everyone. 

“Again, Grace, thank you for stepping up.”

“Oh Uncle, you know I just wanted to re-arrange your kitchen. And really, it was mostly all Hayley that did the work. I can barely lift my arms right now with the ink and all I want to do is rub against a doorframe, like a bear.” Grace laughed.

“Well then I have both of you to thank. Maybe one of these days I’ll find me an ol’ lady who can take care of all that and we can have proper Club meetings here.”

“I’d be happy to help out. I mean, if you need someone in a pinch. To come help with dinner. You know. Because you … fuck I’ll shut up now.” Hayley was blushing neon red and Grace had to bite her lip to keep from giggling. 

“I appreciate that, Hayley. My house can always use a woman who knows what she’s doin and you more than showed that tonight,” Tiny replied and Grace bit harder. She’d meant to introduce Hayley to Tiny because she knew Hayley didn’t have an ol’ man and would be available to help. She certainly hadn’t intended for Tiny to take such an obvious and immediate interest. But she wasn’t going to ignore that Tiny could do worse (and had).

She leaned her head against Dominic’s shoulder and leaned up, whispering in his ear, “Are you almost done here?”

He nodded and she smiled. “Good because I’m looking forward to getting back to the hotel and getting out of this shirt.”

He turned his head and grinned at her. “I’m looking forward to getting you out of more than just your shirt.”

She blushed brighter than Hayley but couldn’t ignore the pulse of desire that seemed to center right between her thighs. “Only if you promise to inspect your mark and make sure it’s absolutely everything you could want.”

She was all but propositioning him in whispers and when he put his hand down on her thigh, squeezing just tight enough to make the ache between her thighs spread outward, it took everything in her to remember how to be polite and not just straddle him right here and now. 

“Tiny, I want to thank you once again for your hospitality but I’m gonna take my woman back to the hotel and we’re gonna get some rest. It’s been a long day for both of us.”

Grace was standing up in an instant, hugging and kissing her fathers, Tiny and Hayley. She was almost shaking with want as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her tight against his side, as he’d been doing since she was just a 14 year old girl. Her arm came around his waist and held on as they made their way through the yard to the bike. Almost everyone was wishing them a good night and a few people wanted to chat for a minute, so it took twice as long to get to the bike. By the time they got there, Grace was ready to climb out of her skin.

“What’s wrong, my Queen? Is there something you need?” Dominic’s voice teased against her ear as he ran his hand over her side and barely ran his thumb over her nipple. She hissed and clenched her thighs together while looking up at him.

“You, my Wolf. I need you. I need you behind me while I’m face down on the bed and your cock inside me. I need your hands leaving bruises on my hips like you left on my ass this afternoon. I need your thighs against mine, fucking me as hard as you would beat someone that owes the Club. I know you love me but I want you to fuck me like you hate me and I want you to do it right.fucking.now.” Grace ran her hand down over his cock, smirking when she felt it twitching and her Wolf actually growled as he leaned down and bit the side of her neck.

“You want me to fuck you like a whore, mia regina? My cock buried inside of you and using you like a bitch? Maybe I’ll just grab hold of this braid of yours and use it to put you where I want you before I make you beg for my cock, hmm?” To make his point, he’d grabbed hold of her braid and yanked her head back so she was looking up at him. She could see nothing but absolute primal want and possession in those beautiful eyes. Grace’s brain fritzed out on her and she mewled, hearing every filthy word that fell out of his mouth. She pressed her body up against his, practically humping herself against his leg. 

He picked her up under her shoulders and put her on the bike before he put her helmet on her head and slid in front of her. This time, she took advantage of her position and she ground herself up against his back, pulling his t-shirt down in the back enough to lick his spine. “Get me back to the hotel before I cum all over this seat, Dominic.”

“You cum all over the seat, I won’t fuck you until we go home, Grace. You hear me?” It was an empty threat and they both knew it but, in the moment, the authority in his voice went to her pussy and made her already soaked panties even wetter. 

“Drive, Wolf.”

It took 25 minutes to get from the hotel to Tiny’s house … it took 8 minutes to get from Tiny’s house to the hotel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When Dominic is speaking to Grace: "My wife, my beauty, my Grace. You've been the missing part of me all my life and now you're mine for the rest of it. I want to see you in the morning, fall asleep with you at night, see you round with our children and running the world right beside me. I love you with all of my heart and soul. I need you forever."


	42. Chapter 42

Dominic was almost out of his mind by the time he pulled in front of the hotel. He’d lost the ability to speak somewhere around the last stoplight, when Grace had slid her fingertips under his nose and he breathed in the scent of her want. Musky, warm and a little spicy from his own cum mingled with hers; he remembered the feel of her pussy milking his cock deep inside only hours ago and his mouth had gone dry. That temptation … the urge to be inside of her … it was wrong and there was no way they would do it again … but oh, that sweetness was something he dreamed about.

When he stopped the bike, she was off the bike before he was and she was striding across the parking lot, his mark clear on her back. She turned to look over her shoulder at him as she reached the doors and smiled; it was the dirtiest, most promising smile he’d ever seen on her and he ran across the lot. By the time he reached the lobby, she was already in the elevator heading up. He didn’t know what game she was playing at but he was frustrated and more turned on than he’d ever remembered being. Every available thought was centered in his groin and he debated racing up the steps instead of waiting for the elevator but as he moved toward the stairwell, he saw the elevator descending back down to the lobby. It seemed to stop on every floor on it’s way down from the 6th and he knew Grace was fucking with him for a reason. She must have a plan and he could wait her out. 

By the time he made it to the hotel room door, his cock had gone from hard to aching and he could feel the puddle of precum that seemed to have dripped down between his thighs. He slid the card into the lock and opened the door, making sure before turning around that the “Do Not Disturb” sign was on the handle and that the door shut firmly. Finally, he turned around and looked around the room and immediately, when he saw Grace, he had to put his hand on the wall to keep from swaying on his feet. He wasn’t sure how she’d managed it but somehow, in the time it took for him to get up to the room, she’d stripped herself down to a pair of lacy blue panties, turned the braid into a simple ponytail and was laying across the edge of the bed with her ass in the air. And she had her fingers inside her panties, masturbating while she looked over her shoulder at him.

“I can still feel you, you know. I can still feel that ache from when your cock was buried inside of me a couple hours ago and I can still feel your cum inside me. I can feel the bruises on my ass from where you were holding me up and, when I close my eyes, I can see my fingerprints digging into your shoulders. I bet they hurt, huh? Eight bruises right on my Wolf from where I grabbed and held on while you came inside of me. Did you like it, Dominic? Did you like fucking me like that, wrapped around your waist and cumming inside of me? No boundaries, no barriers … just me riding you. I want it again … I need you, mio lupo. I need you to cum inside me again.”

Her voice was low … dark. Her fingers were slow against her pussy, he could see that from where he was standing but he could also see the shine of her pussy juice on the inside of her thighs and when he took a deep breath, all he could smell was Grace. He stripped his clothes in an instant and was across the room, his hands automatically going to her hips. From this vantage point, he could see her back and his mark spread across her shoulders … he could see where he owned her. His brain still hadn’t let go of the image she’d painted earlier of him rubbing cocoa butter onto her belly and feeling their kids moving around. He consciously knew he shouldn’t, he knew they were taking a risk but he also knew that no matter what happened, the Wolf and his Queen could do anything. He pulled his hips back and slid his hands into the waistband of her panties, sliding them down her leg until they pooled at her feet. He reached around her body and took her hand away, holding it behind her so it rested against her hip.

“Did I say you could touch my property, Grace? Did I tell you that you could play with that pretty cunt between your legs before I got here? You’re mine, Grace Robustelli and that means no-one touches you but me. It means that if I didn’t fuckin say you could do it, you don’t. It means if you have to sit with a throbbing wet cunt all night while you suck my dick, you’ll do it for me. Because you belong to me, that mark on your back tells the world who owns you. Maybe we’ll get another one … just to make sure. A fang on either hip so you can remember you belong to me whether you’re looking in a mirror at your back or looking down at your body. When you feel our kid moving inside of you, you’ll always know exactly who gave you that baby and who loves you above everything and everyone else. My Queen, my Grace, and my cunt.” As he said the last, he couldn’t hold himself back anymore and he slid inside of her, the tightness squeezing his length all the way down. His queen was always so ready for him, so wet for him. He heard her moan and felt her lifting her hips up to change the angle and give him deeper access to her body. Her one hand was still behind her back while the other was flung wide from her body, gripping the comforter as he began to slam his cock in.

She’d said she wanted him to fuck her like he hated her but he could never hate his beautiful Grace. He could, however, fuck her hard enough that she’d still be feeling him between her thighs while they were on the plane going home. He snapped his hips, hands on her waist and pulled her back so he could control how she moved. Pushing himself deeper and fucking up into her beautiful body … watching her hair spread across her back and wanting to see her mark, needing to see it. His fist balled in her hair and he pulled it away from her back, feeling her unbelievably hot pussy clench down around him.

“Oh did you like that? You like when I own you, Grace? When you’re not just my Queen but my bitch, too? Wolves have bitches, did you know that? They fuck when they want, they take what they want, they do as they please. A wolf can fuck his bitch twice a day until her heat goes away and he knows he planted a pup inside of her. Maybe that’s what we’ll do for the rest of our vacation … fuck you until I know you’re carrying my son inside that belly of yours. Make sure I cum inside you twice a day and just wait for your belly to start rounding out. You’ll be beautiful … my bitch carrying my babies.”

His balls were so tight and his cock was so close. He could feel her clenching around him, daring him without saying a word. He could hear her grunting and moaning his name. He felt her reach with her hand and pull his palm from her waist to her belly and hold it there.

“Yours, Dominic. No boundaries.”

He couldn’t have stopped his orgasm any better than he could stop his blood from pulsing in his veins. Her hand holding his against her stomach while his cock was buried inside of her was too much for him and he slammed his cock deep, holding himself still inside of her while his cock jerked and twitched, his cum inside of her. A half a moment later, he felt her body stiffen underneath him and her pussy clenched even harder and she was cumming with him, arching her back and pushing up against him to hold him deep inside. He started to come down from the high of his orgasm and realized neither of his hands had moved; he was still pulling her ponytail and she was still holding his palm against her stomach. His cock gave another twitch and he felt her laugh underneath him.

“I love you, Dominic.”

“I love you too, Grace.”

He stayed like that for another minute, holding onto the sensation and memorizing the visual before his cock slipped free of her body. He knelt down and pulled her panties up her legs, back over her hips before he helped her to lean back upright. Immediately she turned around and pulled him down to her; pressing their mouths together for a kiss that was filled with all the love they shared between them.

***

Later that night, long after Dominic had fallen asleep, Grace drowsed beside him. She could still feel him inside of her and the sensation brought a smile to her lips. She remembered Marla telling her not to let things slip by and reminding her of how strong she was and her hand came down to rest on her stomach. It wasn’t time now; she wanted to at least finish her Engineering degree but she was close to the end of that journey, having doubled her classes while Dominic was inside. Another 8 months and she’d be finished with her Engineering degree and 3/4 of the way done with her Business Management degree. And before that, in 5 months, she’d officially change her name to Robustelli. 

She studied his profile in the semi-darkness, admiring the beauty of his face when he was completely relaxed. There was no tension, no worry and no threat when he slept and he looked very much younger than he actually was. She imagined she could see what their sons would look like in his profile and the thought made her grin. Daydreams were nice company when she was alone but now that she had him here, the reality of their future settled nicely into the holes her heart had created while he was inside. 

“Someday, my wolf. Someday we’ll have kids for Danno to spoil and our Wolves to protect. A little girl for you to braid her hair, like Daddy did for me and a son for me to teach how to surf. We’ll teach them about good pizza and how to spot a bad carburetor, how to speak Hawaiian and Jersey and Pidgin and to stay away from neon green relish and pineapple on pizza, no matter what their Tutu says. Someday, my Wolf …,” Grace yawned the last and her eyelids started to drift shut. In the blink between awake and asleep, she almost missed the whispered, “Soon, mia regina.”

She snuggled closer and felt his arm come around her body, pulling her into him so she was tucked under his chin. She was safe, she was loved … he was home.


	43. Chapter 43

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's here. Put on your finest luau shirt and don't forget to bring a gift.  
> It's The Robustelli wedding

For what felt like the millionth time, Grace looked out the window of her old bedroom and saw the huge group of people all gathered in the yard at her fathers’ house. Her stomach was doing flips and her hands wouldn’t stop brushing over her arms. She couldn’t see him from where she was standing inside the house but she knew he was out there; waiting somewhere with Freckles. She’d heard the full ride of her Wolves arrive at the house an hour ago and she was looking forward to seeing Dominic in his white suit. Inside, Kono and Lana were helping to get her ready and she was trying to work off her nervous energy. It was a day of happiness and sadness at the same time for Grace. She had every member of the Machine (including Hayley, who had fit quite nicely as Tiny’s ol’ lady), every member of ‘Auana and friends and family all gathered to share in the joy of the day but it was a little bittersweet as she thought of the people who weren’t here. Her hand drifted up to her hair, carefully touching as she thought back to just three days ago.

Chin had come to the house and had sat down with Grace to explain that Malia wasn’t going to be able to come to the ceremony. She wasn’t responding well to the new medication and he was preparing to move her to a long term facility.

“However, I have something for you, Ali’i. When we all found out about your engagement, via the 11 o’clock news,” here, Chin laughed. There had, in fact, been a mention on the news of a “crazed driver” pulling over suddenly on the 93 and causing a minor traffic hiccup. “When we heard, Malia told me that she wanted you to have something of hers when you had your ceremony. I think she knew about her illness but hadn’t told me yet and she was preparing for the inevitable. Ever the emergency room doctor, trying to prepare for everything before it happens.” Chin’s eyes watered momentarily and Grace hugged him close.

“Uncle, you and Malia have been my family since I was 9 years old. I have something of hers already … I have the knowledge she gave me and the strength she always encouraged me to hold onto. I wouldn’t be the woman I am today without her.”

Chin patted her shoulder and pulled back, his face once again the stoic zen expression. “We’ve loved you like a daughter and we’re so proud of you. Which is why Malia insisted that you have this. I believe the phrase is “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue”?” Chin handed her a box that looked old, stained with age. She looked at him and then back at the box.

When she opened it, she gasped and felt her eyes go hot with tears. Laying inside was a veil, handmade of lace and aged ivory with time. It had small pins woven through the top, as though it were made to attach to something. Grace looked up at Chin, completely at a loss for words.

“This was the veil she wore to our wedding, handed down to her from 4 generations of women. She had it altered so that it could be pinned to the haku she wore at our wedding and she very much wanted to give it to you to wear at your wedding.”

Grace looked back up at Chin, her hands shaking as she touched the beautiful material. It felt almost silky with age and she was afraid to even move it from the box. 

“Uncle … this is … I’m honored. So honored. And lucky. And thankful. Thank you … for everything. For accepting us here in Hawaii, for taking in the Wolves when they arrived … for always being a man I could look up to.”

And now, here she stood in her bedroom, fingering the delicate lace as it draped down her back from where it was pinned to her haku, which had been woven with violets and plumeria flowers. Kono cleared her throat and Grace turned, seeing Danno and Dad standing in the doorway.

“You ready, Grace?” Danno asked, his voice cracking a little. She smiled and took another look at her childhood bedroom, seeing little piece of her life. Pictures, awards, beloved stuffed animals. Vaguely she heard the ukulele beginning to play and knew it was time. She lifted the hem of her dress to show off a pair of white slippahs (borrowed from Kono) and wiggled her toes. 

“Even have shoes on, Danno.”

Dad laughed while Danno rolled his eyes and came over to hug her close. A moment later, she was surrounded by both men and she was reminded of the morning after the Yakuza attack on the old house. She’d woken up between the two of them and it was the safest she had ever felt in her life. She wrapped her arms around both of them and squeezed tightly. 

“Monkey loves you. Both of you. Thank you for being my Dads.”

The hug grew tighter between all three of them before breaking apart. Danno was suspiciously wiping at his eyes while Dad’s face was surprisingly sitting at DEFCON 5; relaxed and happy without even the crease between his eyebrows.

“It was the greatest thing I have ever done in my life, ali’i; to watch you grow up and be a part of the woman you became,” Dad said and Grace was dangerously close to crying herself. 

“Don’t you dare make her cry, Steven. If she cries, I’m gonna start and then her wedding pictures will be ruined. Doesn’t it figure, the one day I really need you to be a Neanderthal, you decide to emote? Today, you decide to show feelings, like a real human? I’d say it’s a breakthrough but your timing, SuperSEAL … your timing could use a little work. Maybe wait until aft-”

Danno was cut off by Dad leaning over and kissing him and Grace laughed out loud, the urge to cry passing with the comic expression on Danno’s face as he was stopped, mid-rant.

“Thank you Daddy.”

“I figured we’d probably want to get to the ceremony before Dominic gets nervous and comes looking for you. I’d take a bullet for you, Danno … but I’m not brave enough to stand between our daughter and what she wants.”

Kono and Lana had gone downstairs already and Grace stepped through the door, heading down to the base of the stairs to wait for the sound of the conch shell to signal the beginning of her wedding. 

***

Dominic paced back and forth in the study, very much resembling a wolf pacing. He was wearing the traditional white suit of a Hawaiian wedding, a bright blue sash around his waist and had a haku of maile leaves on his head. He didn’t understand why he was so nervous; he’d known Grace for almost seven years now, they’d been living together practically since she was 17, she’d stood by him when he was inside, had kept his Club in order while he was inside, had made him proud at every step of their journey together. He loved her with a ferocity that rivaled anything he’d ever experienced. 

“You know she ain’t gonna leave you high and dry, Dominic. She’s literally one floor up. If you stop pacing long enough, you’ll hear her doing the same thing right over your head. Jesus, the two of you really are a matched set … you even pace in time with each other,” Freckles joked with him. Freckles was standing as his best man and he had both the wedding ring and the lei of flowers that would be exchanged during the ceremony. 

“I know that, asshole. I just want today to be perfect for her and I’m terrified of fucking something up.”

“Brah, fucking up is inevitable. But this is Grace we’re talking about here. She loves you, despite your fuck-ups. None of us know why but apparently, you’re one lucky son of a bitch.” 

“I hate you so much, dude.”

“Yeah I know. I’m an asshole. But relax, seriously. This is your wedding and you literally cannot fuck up so long as you remember to say I do when Mamo asks.”

Dominic nodded and tried to relax. He could hear Grace walking above his head and he smiled because Freckles was right. She was pacing back and forth as well. This was their day … the moment everything would be legal. It wouldn’t really change anything except her name but just the nature of the day, combined with the number of people who’d arrived, was overwhelming. He had a moment when he wished his parents would have been able to meet Grace … they’d have loved her, he was sure. He thought back to Red, another person who wasn’t here but should have been … he wondered if Red would have approved of their relationship. He could almost hear the gruff tone in his head, telling him ‘Don’t be fuckin stupid, Wolfie.’ and he laughed. They weren’t here but they would always be a part of the life he and Grace built together. 

A knock at the door and he turned, seeing Mamo wearing his haku and white wedding suit as well. The older man’s hair grew longer and more grey every time he saw him but the warm smile that had been present the first time they’d met was still there and when he’d asked Mamo to stand as their Kahu, the man had cried with happiness. Dominic had worked with Danno and Steve to ensure any and every part of this day included the pieces of Grace and his life together. Mamo was smiling now and opened his arms to hug Dominic.

“Today’s a big day for Ol’ Mamo. Our Gracie finally marrying her Wolf with all friends and family to see. I take good care of you, make sure you don’t fuck up, no worries.” Mamo winked at Dominic, who promptly laughed. 

“I trust you, Mamo. Thank you again for doing this, it means a lot to us.”

“It’s me who thanks you. You put a smile on Gracie’s face and you kept it there when not many people would have stuck around. You give her balance and love. That’s all any of us want for either of you. Now come on, we gotta get you hitched before those haoles out there get sunburnt and the poi gets sticky.”

Dominic took a deep breath and looked over at Freckles. “You ready?”

“I’ve been ready for 3 years, we all have. We were just waiting for you to catch up with the rest of us.”

Another laugh, a clap on his shoulder from Freckles and Dominic followed Mamo out of the room.

***

Mamo came down the pathway with Dominic at his side, the ukulele subtly drifting to silence as they came to stand at the gazebo. They turned towards the house as Mamo spoke, “We believe the spirits of our ancestors gather with us during times of celebration. Each breeze you feel is a loved one, come to share in our joy. To bring more blessing, we raise call to the elements of water, earth, air and fire to join us by sounding the traditional pu, or conch shell. It is our hope they bless this union.” With that, Mamo lifted the conch to his lips and blew, the distinct sound rolling across the yard and the doors to the house opened. Dominic forgot how to think as his eyes settled on the woman he was marrying. There was no sound in the world and nothing else existed save for this beautiful woman walking towards him on the arms of her fathers. Her dress was a creamy ivory color and floated around her with every step; making it appear that she was more fantasy than reality. She was beaming as she moved towards him, her eyes locked on his. He’d never seen her more beautiful than this moment and he wanted to memorize this moment for the rest of his life. As she came up to the gazebo steps, both Danno and SEAL kissed her before stepping back.

Grace was standing in front of him. All he could see was her smile and her eyes; he was completely lost. He could spend the rest of his life right here with that smile on her lips. 

“Welcome everyone to the male’ana ceremony between Dominic and Grace. Today, we join their souls and hearts into one and share their joy with all of you. We begin with the traditional exchange of lei between Grace and Dominic. The lei is a symbol of our aloha, as well as the unbroken bond of love between them. In this case, both Dominic and Grace choose to honor their roots by weaving the violet, a symbol of their beginning, into the lei.”

Dominic and Grace both turned, Freckles handing his lei to him while Kono handed hers to Grace. As he turned back around, he caught a glimpse of his mark on her back and realized her dress was backless; his heart thumped double time with pride and he wished he could do the ceremony shirtless to show his mark as proudly (although the material of the shirt was so thin, he was pretty sure the bold coloring was standing out anyway). Grace cleared her throat softly and he blinked, coming back to the present and smiled as he leaned down.

Grace slid the lei over his head and said, “Aloha kāua, Dominic.” She kissed his cheek and stood back. 

He slid his lei over her head, kissed her cheek and hoped like hell he didn’t fuck this up. He’d been practicing for a month. One deep breath and he said, “Aloha aku no, aloha mai no.” The surprised joy on Grace’s face made it all worthwhile. 

Mamo grinned and began speaking once more. “Grace has offered her wish that there be love between them and Dominic has expressed that he gives his love to her as she gives her love to him. And I think we can all agree, there is much love between them and has been for a long while. Theirs is a love that has stood against many tests and they have always come through stronger, because they are together. It is also because of the ohana that surrounds them, each of you present today has shared in their journey, whether small or large, as well as those who could not be here in physical form.”

Almost on queue, a light breeze blew across the yard and Mamo smiled even larger. “Your blessings are many, Grace and Dominic. You are surrounded by your ohana and the spirit of the islands. Your family from the mainland surrounds you with love and joy. 

“Much as the lei is the expression of aloha, the rings are an exchange of commitment to one another. An unbroken circle, representing an unbroken bond that is given freely to each.” He held his hand out and the rings were handed to him by Freckles and Kono. He placed them on a large flattened piece of volcanic rock that sat on a koa wood plate that he then handed to both Grace and Dominic, each holding one side with their right hands, and then took a long ribbon of the meile leaves and wrapped it around their arms; physically binding them together. “Each of their rings contain an inset of volcanic rock to represent strength and koa wood, which represents integrity.”

Mamo reached and took out a small wooden bowl from the setup behind him and held it up, showing it to everyone. “This bowl is also made of koa wood, one of the most precious woods on the island,” as he spoke, he dipped the bowl into a large container of water and filled it to the brim, “The water comes from the Pacific Ocean and was gathered this morning. The water represents a washing away of any hindrance to your relationship and a new beginning as husband and wife. Usually we do these things at a beach and we can get the water fresh but I think we all know about Danno’s aversion to the beaches.” 

Everyone laughed, including Danno, and Mamo continued. He took a Ti leaf and dipped it into the bowl, explaining the Ti leaf represents prosperity, health and blessing of the body, mind, and spirit. As he dipped the leaf into the water, he sprinkled the water over the rings and chanted “Ei-Ah Eha-No. Ka Malohia Oh-Na-Lani. Mea A-Ku A-Pau.” He repeated the process twice more before setting the bowl and leaf aside. 

“As Grace and Dominic exchange their rings, they have chosen their vows to share with you all. Grace, please take the ring from the plate and place it upon Dominic’s finger.”

Grace’s fingers were shaking as she took the ring in her left hand and held it up for Dominic. He smiled, all his concentration focused on his woman.

“Dominic Robustelli the Third,” she giggled nervously before continuing, “Dominic you came into my life when I was so young, I still had to roll up the sleeves on my coveralls. Without knowing anything about me, you protected me and brought five Wolves that have become my brothers, as much as they have become my protectors. You gave me safety and sanctuary, fitting into my life in a way that I hadn’t even realized I needed yet. I think I fell in love with you the first time you showed me your fangs in that back driveway in Newark but I knew I was in love by the time you followed me to Hawaii. We have been through so much and always, I have known you were there right beside me and that you had my back. I promise you that I will always protect your back, share with you everything in my life, remind you to put gas in your bike and love you without reservation for all the rest of my days. Nāu wau a na'u `oe, mau loa. I am yours and you are mine, forever. Together or not at all.”

Her eyes were brimming with tears and Dominic had to admit his own were damp. A choked sound from behind Grace proved Danno hadn’t been unaffected either and Dominic smiled. 

“Dominic, do you accept Grace for all time with your spirits bound and your hearts as one?”

“I do.”

Grace slid the ring the rest of the way onto his ring finger and leaned forward, pressing a kiss to the ring before putting her hand back on the koa platter. 

“Dominic, please take the ring from the plate and place it upon Grace’s finger.”

He swallowed hard. He’d worked on his vows for months … but he’d known for years. He picked up the ring, his own hands shaking as he slid the ring onto Grace’s finger and looked into her eyes.

***

His presence filled up everything as she walked down the pathway towards the gazebo. Honestly, if it hadn’t been for Danno and Daddy keeping her in time, she’d have run just to be next to him and touch him to ensure he was real. Her mark on his chest was clearly visible through the shirt and it made her heart blossom, knowing everyone could see it. Danno whispered in her ear just before he let go of her arm, “We love you, we’re proud of you and you will always be our Monkey.” She’d smiled, hugging them both once more before stepping in front of Mamo and turning towards Dominic. 

When Dominic surprised her with his speaking Hawaiian, she’d been almost overwhelmed. Yes, it was a small phrase but he’d made that effort for her and that touched her more than anything else he’d ever done. She knew how difficult it was to learn the intricacies of the language and it wasn’t something he’d ever shown any interest in; but here he was, offering his life and accepting hers in return. There wasn’t anything she could think of that was more romantic.

As she gave him her vows, her voice was shaky and her fingers were trembling. Looking up into his eyes as she reminded him of their first meeting and promising to always protect him and love him, she managed to fall even deeper in love. This was everything she wanted, right in front of her and when he said ‘I do’ she felt the tears start slipping over her eyelashes. He was standing in front of her now, holding the ring and her hands were still shaking as he slid the band onto her finger.

“Grace Williams-McGarrett, you were covered in motor oil and engine grease the first time I ever laid eyes on you. I had no idea what to make of you but there was something there. My Ma always told me there’d be someone, someday, that would knock me flat and would be the one person I’d spend the rest of my life with. By the time I was watching you kick SuperSEAL’s butt the next morning, I knew it was you. I have had the privilege of being brought into your ohana and being accepted. I would not be in the position I’m in today without your support, your unfailing loyalty and your absolute belief in me. Every step of the road behind us has been The Wolf and his Queen … every step ahead of us will be The Wolf and his Queen. I will protect you, love you, remain loyal to you for all the rest of my days. Together, or not at all.”

She could barely speak as the tears rolled down her face; she could feel them staining her cheeks with how hot they were. She’d not heard his vows beforehand because he’d been secretive about them and now she was blown away by the emotion he’d expressed. This was so much more than love; so much more than just vows. They’d each committed the rest of their lives to the other and neither had any regret. She was sobbing and trying to hold still when Kono nudged her from behind, whispering under her breath, “At some point, you might wanna answer with the whole I do thing or poor Dominic is gonna have heart failure.”

Grace looked and realized he was staring at her with an expression somewhere near terrified. She’d completely missed Mamo speaking and apparently her silence had everyone nervous.

“Together or not at all, my Wolf. I do.”

The tension was gone, the smile was on his face and Kono chuckled from behind her. She wiped at her eyes with her hand as Mamo took hold of the platter but left their hands bound.

“You have each made a promise to each other before your Ohana and the spirits and the Gods. Your marriage will stand as a testament to the will of the strong, as well as the patient. In the eyes of the State of Hawaii and the eyes of the Gods, both old and new, you are blessed and bound as Mr. and Mrs. Dominic Robustelli. You may kiss your bride, Wolf.”

She felt his arms go around her, she felt the warmth and the sturdiness of his body and she leaned in, tilting her head up. Her smile hadn’t left her lips an she realized, as he leaned closer, that there were tears in his eyes as well. His whisper, just before their lips met, melted her heart. “Always yours, always mine, always together. My wife.”

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and returned his kiss, sweet and short but full of promise and the rest of their lives. 

“Before we release the spirit of the Islands back to their homes, Grace and Dominic have chosen to honor a long-standing tradition of commemorating their vows.” Mamo once again reached to the table and held up the flattened piece of volcanic rock that had been sprinkled with the water. He wrapped the Ti leaf around the rock and placed it in their joined hands. 

“The volcanic rock of the Islands is indestructible. It contains the elements of fire, water, earth and air and provides passion, love, protection and prosperity to those who have asked the blessings. By placing the rock into the box with their names and burying it deep within the earth, they are rooting their love to the Island. So long as Hawaii remains, their love will be strong and true.”

Together, Grace and Dominic placed the rock inside the small wooden box, which Mamo closed and locked. He handed the box to a waiting Steve and Danno, who then placed the box into an already dug hole beside the gazebo. They each threw a handful of dirt over the box before returning to their seats. Grace could see both of them had tears in their eyes and that just made her cry that much more. 

“Grace and Dominic invite each of you to bless their union by throwing a handful of dirt onto the box throughout the rest of the day. We thank our ancestors for being present and release the elements back to their homes.”

Once more, Mamo raised the conch shell and blew a single note which seemed lighter than the first. Almost immediately the ukulele began to play Ke Kali Nei Au, which was the Hawaiian Wedding Song, as Dominic and Grace kissed once again and turned towards the crowd of people. Grace’s stomach was doing flips and she hadn’t stopped shaking or crying. The tradition of their hands being bound told that if the lei remained in place through the wedding night, their marriage would last well into the next life. Grace had fond the symbolism beautiful but they had both agreed that for things like bathroom breaks, the lei could be suspended without endangering their marriage. 

They walked down the pathway to applause and hoots and wolf whistles of congratulations. Grace couldn’t believe it … she looked up at Dominic, who had tears in his eyes as well and she smiled.

“Together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you care to see - This is [Grace's Wedding Dress](https://www.modaoperandi.com/costarellos-fw17/sequin-embroidered-lace-applique-tulle-ball-gown/)
> 
> Mamo's Blessing on the ring translates: May peace from above rest upon you and remain with you now and forever.


	44. Chapter 44

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the second to last chapter, guys. We're going to have a bit of smut in the next one, which is why THIS one is so short, and then we're going to leave Grace and Dominic to their future.  
> Thank you to everyone who comments, leaves kudos and sends messages of support.  
> This has been a journey ... I think I've cried at least a dozen times while writing this.  
> I'll post some TimeStamps, past and future, but I think I'll hold off on another "Sound Of" style epic for a bit. Albert has been bugging me about another book to follow up the one I published already.  
> And what Albert wants, I begrudgingly give him.

Grace hadn’t stopped smiling all afternoon and she was pretty sure the smile was going to stay on her lips for a long time. Seven years it had taken; seven years of ups and downs and there had been days when today had seemed so far away but finally, she was sitting on the lanai with her husband, Danno, and Daddy. She and Dominic were still bound by the lei and they were holding hands. So far, they’d been loathe to take the lei off but they’d had to in order for Grace to get her wedding dress off; instead Dominic held her other hand with the lei so they technically never weren’t touching it and she’d been able to slip out of the dress and put a more comfortable white sheath dress that came down to her knees instead of brushing the ground. She also very carefully took the veil off her haku and put it away in it’s box before putting the haku back on. Once she was completely ready, Dominic re-wound the lei around her forearm and pulled her towards him in a kiss that was anything BUT family-appropriate. 

“I love you, Mrs. Robustelli.”

“And I love you, Mr. Robustelli.”

He kissed her again before she pulled away and led him back down to the party, insisting they couldn’t be away for too long. When they’d gotten back to the yard, the reception was in full swing and everyone was laughing and cheering their return. It was a toss-up as to who was louder; the bikers or the Williamses but Grace was leaning more towards the latter. Grace laughed as the tradition of clinking spoons against a glass called for the bride and groom to kiss and she leaned up, offering Dominic her cheek. They’d agreed beforehand to trade off cheek kisses until the guests got the point. 

Danno was standing up with his glass raised and calling for everyone’s attention. 

“Excuse me. Excuse m … HEY! CAN IT!” The low roar of the crowd settled and he smiled, clearing his throat and adjusting his cut.

“Now I know you all came here today so you could eat some of the delicious pig that was cooked in a hole in the ground by our resident Chef, Lana,” Danno tilted his glass towards her and she blushed as she waved. “However, you’re going to have to indulge me. I have one daughter and so I’m only ever going to get to do this once.”

Danno turned towards Grace and Dominic, tilting his glass towards them both.

“The first moment you took a breath, I was there. The first time you walked, I was there. The first time you ran, I was there. The first time you rode a bicycle, I was there. The first time you broke a bone I was thankfully NOT there. And the first time you laid eyes on Dominic, I was there. SuperSEAL and I have known for a long time this day was coming because there’s a magic between the two of you that I have never seen. You have fit together from the first breath and while I may not have always said it enough, outside of your father, there is not another person in the world I would entrust you with from that day to today. You have made me prouder with every passing day than any father has a right to be, setting your goals and accomplishing them like dominoes in a row. Today may be the happiest day of your life so far but I can honestly say, this is absolutely the happiest day that my life will ever see. I love you Grace.

“Dominic, you … I knew you were trouble. You were responsible, careful, attentive and went above and beyond in taking care of a girl you didn’t know from Adam. And you listened to me when I asked you to do something, even though you had your reservations. Of course, I should have known then you’d fit into our crazy little Ohana just because of that. Today, a piece of paper changes Grace’s last name but you became so much more than just a member of the Ohana in the last seven years; you’ve become a man I’m proud to call son. Thank you for making her happy. Thank you for being the man you are. I love you too, son.”

Grace was crying as Danno spoke and she saw Dominic fighting hard not to cry. She covered for him by tugging him to his feet with their lei and wrapping them both around Danno and Dad, who were both crying as well. There were applause and more than a few sniffles as they stood together a moment longer, Grace whispering softly to each of them, “I love you. I couldn’t have done any of that without the three of you.”

By the time they broke apart, all four of them had managed varying degrees of composure. Grace remained standing as Danno, Daddy and Dominic sat back down; waiting for the crowd to settle.

“I promise to make this quick. Today is a celebration for me and Dominic but I have to take a minute because there are other people who deserve to be acknowledged. Dominic may have come into my life that afternoon but he didn’t come alone. He brought five other men with him and they are so important to getting us here. They watched over us, protected us, even from ourselves on occasion, and made sure that we knew what we were doing before we did it. For the rest of my life, you will always be my Wolves. I love you guys. 

They were all brought into my life by a man who isn’t here. My Uncle Red, who took in both my Danno and my Dominic, along with my Wolves. The man who taught me how to change the oil in a car and let me change my first serpentine belt all by myself when I was fourteen. I don’t want to ruin Danno’s dreams of inspiring my love of engines and bikes but let’s just say he wasn’t the only influence and leave it at that,” Grace laughed along with everyone else before continuing. “Another person who isn’t here is my mother. She was killed when I was a baby so I can’t stand up here and say that I miss her … I didn’t know her. She’s a face in a picture album somewhere. But I’d like to think that she’d be proud of who I am today. My Newark family, my Hawaiian family, my friends … everyone here today. Thank you for sharing today with me. Thank you for always having our best interest at heart. And thank you, especially, to my Nonna Clara for teaching me how to make her sauce so Danno didn’t have a conniption about there not being lasagna at our wedding.”

Everyone roared with laughter but Grace caught Clara’s eye. This was the first time she’d acknowledged their relationship with the term for grandmother and she caught the tears in those bright blue eyes. They shared a smile across the lawn before the crowd started moving towards the food tables set up along the back of the yard. The imu was waiting to be opened by Lou, Meka and Books under supervision of Lana and Kame and, once the pig was raised up, the impressed silence spoke volumes for how delicious that pork was going to be. 

After that, it was a blur of eating and socializing and laughing. Grace and Dominic never once let get of their hands (taking the occasional bathroom break just gave them a chance to breathe before heading back into the crowd. As night began to settle, the twinkle lights over the makeshift dancefloor came on and the DJ called for Grace to come to the dancefloor. She smiled as she made her way over and stood in front of everyone; this was the traditional father-daughter dance but Grace wasn’t about to do anything traditional.

The strains of “Dance Baby Dance” began to come through the speakers and she smiled as the DJ called both Danno and Daddy to the dancefloor. Daddy was wearing his “Cautious Confusion” face and Grace laughed as she pulled them both close.

“You are both my father. There was no way I could dance with one and not the other and I wasn’t going to make either one of you feel less important by dancing with the other first. So you both get to dance with me, at the same time, just like it’s always been. Danno, Daddy and Monkey.”

They crowded closer, wrapping their arms around her and the three of them shuffled together, not really dancing but being together and being loved by each other. As the final strain of the song faded, it was immediately followed by the opening bars of “Smile” and Grace turned towards Dominic, falling easily into his arms. It wasn’t a traditional song but it was theirs. She floated as she looked up at her husband, barely hearing anything other than his heartbeat. 

“How long til we can make a break for it?” Grace asked under her breath and she saw Dominic smirk.

“Probably need to hang around at least another hour. Socialize and all that.”

“Forty-five minutes.”

“Two hours and I’m timing the both of you,” Danno said from behind her as he was dancing with Steve and other couples were joining the dancefloor.

“Busted.” Freckles laughed from where he was dancing with his date, Amelia. They’d seen her a few times with him but she hadn’t really been properly introduced. Grace had taken to inviting her to come to the family dinners early on Sundays to hang around with the other girls and, just this last week, she’d taken her up on it. Grace liked her and had told Dominic as much. 

“Be nice, Dave. Grace knows where you sleep.” Amelia grinned and fist-bumped Grace.

“Dude we’re in so much trouble.” Freckles leaned forward and kissed Amelia’s nose. Leave it to Freckles to find the only woman on the island who could stand toe-to-toe with him. She was barely an inch shorter than Dominic but she was one of the sweetest girls Grace had met.

The dance ended, everyone applauded and more music started up. They stayed on the dancefloor for a few songs before Grace begged off to get a drink as another slow song started, dragging Dominic with her. She was opening a bottle of water when her eye caught something and she had to clap a hand over her mouth to keep from squealing out loud. The sudden jerk caused Dominic to look up and he chuckled silently, leading Grace away from the sight of Gutches and Tech dancing slowly in a shadowy corner. 

“Leave them be, Grace. They’ll let everyone know when they’re ready.”

Grace smiled even more and leaned up, kissing Dominic’s cheek.

“Fourty-four minutes and counting.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Father-Daughter Dance [ Dance Baby Dance by Chris Cagle ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6utWTErvN_0/)  
> Grace and Dominic's Song [ Smile by Uncle Kracker ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffej15-Dgl0/) (which just so happens to have been my wedding song to my wife)


	45. Chapter 45

Dominic was almost counting the seconds as it ticked closer to the two hour mark. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be here; the entire day had been full of family and friends and seeing Grace smiling always made him happy. It wasn’t even that he was eager for their wedding night (no, that wasn’t true. He couldn’t WAIT to peel that dress off his wife and make love to her for hours on end). He simply wanted to give her the final surprise of the night, the one he’d been sitting on for a month. He was still in a bit of a daze that they’d finally arrived here but every time he looked over at Grace, he couldn’t help but feel his lips go up in a goofy smile. This was his wife; in sickness and health and everything in between. He remembered the day Steve and Danno had taken him from the hospital room in Minneapolis and explained what no boundaries meant; how Steve had led the conversation with asking if he was in it through to the sickness and health. He thought he knew then but now, standing beside her and feeling her hand in his, the commitment to her was even stronger. And he wanted to hand her the world.

They were making their way through the crowd, stopping to have a moment with everyone who attended their wedding (at Grace’s insistence). He hadn’t realized that Tiny hadn’t been kidding when he said everyone in the Machine had planned to come to the wedding until he was spending almost an hour just chatting a few minutes with each of them. But what had really blown him away was that it was obvious they hadn’t come just because of Grace or because of Danno; they had come for him as well, remembering his time as a Prospect and standing in as family where he had no biological relatives. He posed for so many pictures both with and without Grace, his face was starting to ache but he was surrounded by love and family. Finally, they were standing at the lanai, overlooking the crowd and he leaned over to kiss Grace one more time. 

“Before we leave, I just need a minute. I showed up at Red’s Garage, a sixteen year old kid who had just lost both parents. I figured I’d work there a while until I could figure out what I was gonna do with my life. When I walked through the doors and Red pointed me at an engine and told me if I could fix it, I’d have a job I had no idea the sound of an engine turning over 8 hours later would lead me to having the love of my life, a family larger and and more loyal than I could ever dream having my back and living in paradise. When I was a kid, my Ma used to tell me someday I’d meet someone that completely took over my life from the first second I saw them and I never really believed her. Love at first sight doesn’t happen. And then, Danno fuckin Williams came back to Newark and Red sent me over to make sure they settled in and there was this tiny grease spot climbing off the back of a bike with the widest smile and the brightest laugh I ever heard. Red sent me BACK to that house later that night to keep an eye on the grease spot and all of a sudden, boom. Turns out, my Ma was right. Grace, from that day to this one, you find a way to surprise me in little ways and big ways. You find a way to show me, every day, that my Ma was right and you are the center of my world. You take the world in stride, you take care of our Club, you conquered every goal you’ve ever set in front of yourself and you put up with me before I’ve had coffee. Honest to God, I don’t know how you do it but every day, every beat of my heart, I’m so fuckin glad that you do. No boundaries, mia regina. I love you.”

He leaned over and kissed her again, feeling the tears spilling out of her eyes and he kissed each one of them away. He heard her whispering against his ear, “No boundaries, Dominic.”

The crowd erupted in applause and cheers and Dominic swept Grace up into his arms like a Princess and felt her wrap her arms around his shoulders. “And now, enjoy the rest of the night. Try not to get the cops called on my fathers-in-law or SuperSEAL will feed you to a shark. I’m taking my bride home.” Everyone laughed as Dominic turned and stepped inside the house.

***

Grace was happily exhausted as they were standing on the lanai and Dominic made his speech. She started crying when he talked about the first night they’d spent together; the night the Wolves had come into her life. Her heart was full of so much love for everyone that had come to share the day with them, even Al and Henry Giabetta had come down from Chicago (complete with a small container of the green relish as a joke) and Newark was near Machine-free (there were a handful of Prospects keeping an eye on things along with a few members that couldn’t make it for other reasons). Danno’s sisters, parents and nephews had all come as well and Diane had made her famous ricotta pie (Grace was allowed this recipe, along with the recipe for the sauce). Her friends from school had thrown her a bridal shower and Grace had extended the invitation for them to remain for the reception after the wedding but she noticed that most had left right after the ceremony. She understood why … this wasn’t the first party where her family guest list had intimidated her friends. And it didn’t affect their relationship while at school.

Speaking of school, Grace couldn’t wait to tell Dominic her news. She’d decided to wait until after the ceremony to let him know she was officially done with West Oahu, except for walking across the stage. She’d doubled up her classes while he was inside and had done so again when they’d come home from Jersey, earning all her credits in time before today. Technically she had her degree already and walking across the stage was just a formality. From this point forward, she could work at the garage while figuring out how she was going to improve the engines for motocross. From this point forward it was Grace and Dominic.

When he swept her up into his arms, she giggled and settled against him, hearing him warn everyone about the shark. She rolled her eyes and called out after he’d finished, “He’s just kidding. Daddy doesn’t keep a shark here … but there are like five imu pits, just sayin.”

She heard everyone laugh as Dominic walked her through the doors and set her down on her feet as they were joined by Danno and Steve. She hugged each of them, squeezing tight.

“Monkey, I’m so proud of you. I love you and we’ll see you later, okay?”

She nodded, crying all over again as she was tucked between the two men who had raised her, loved her and given her everything she’d need to succeed. “Love you. Thank you for … for everything. For today. For being my Dads. For making sure I went to school. For letting me ride.”

“Ali’i, all we did was sit back and love you. Everything you’ve accomplished has always been you. And you will continue to do that, we know because we know you and we love you. Go have a good time, enjoy a little relaxation and we’ll touch base in a few days.”

Grace smiled and nodded, taking Dominic’s hand and kissing his cheek. “Let’s go, mio lupo.”

They got in the car and started towards home, Grace starting to relax from the whole day of emotional up and down. “Mr. Robustelli.”

“Yes, Mrs. Robustelli?”

“Nothing. I just like hearing you call me that.” Grace grinned over at her husband and he chuckled.

“I like saying it. Only took us seven years to get here.”

“Speaking of here … I have one more surprise for you.”

She watched as he glanced over at her, smiling in question.

“Remember how I said our honeymoon would have to be short because I had classes to get to?”

“I do.”

“Turns out, I’m smarter than I thought. As of last week, I’m officially done with all my classes unless I get a weird idea to go for a Masters degree, which I don’t for-see. So we’re not due back anywhere any time soon.”

Dominic smiled and reached over to squeeze her hand.

“You’re awful at stealth, Mrs. Robustelli.”

Grace blinked and looked at him. “Huh?”

“You left your final exam paperwork on the table a while back.”

“So … you’ve known this whole time?”

“Yep.”

“And you didn’t tell me you knew?”

“Nope.”

“Why?”

“I figured you’d tell me when you were ready,” Dominic replied cryptically. 

“Mr. Robustelli?”

“Yes, Mrs. Robustelli?”

“This isn’t the way to the house.”

“Isn’t it?”

“Dominic, I’m pretty sure I know every inch of this island and I know where we live. This is not the way home.”

“Hmm. Then maybe we aren’t going home?”

Now it was Grace’s turn to look questioningly. 

“Where else would we be going?”

“Home.”

“Dominic, you’re making no sense.”

“Do you trust me, mia regina?”

“With everything I am.”

“Then trust me.”

“I do trust you. But the curiosity might kill me.”

“Nah. You’ll be fine.”

“How do you know? I might crack under pressure.”

“You didn’t crack under the pressure of working on your degree in a double major with double the classload while working at the garage.”

“This could be the one that does me in.”

Dominic burst out laughing and brought her hand to his lips, kissing her wedding ring. As he did so, he also turned the car into a small parking lot to a private airfield. Grace was really confused now because they hadn’t packed any bags or anything but there was a small jet on the tarmac with it’s stairs down.

Dominic led her over to the jet, introducing her to Hayes, a friend of Freckles who was doing them a favor. She was still confused but she trusted her husband (that was never going to get old) so she buckled herself into the seat and settled her head against Dominic’s shoulder. 

“What if you develop some sort of brain injury and forget where we are supposed to go?”

“Hayes knows where we are going.”

“I didn’t pack a bag so we can’t be going anywhere far away.”

“Hm.”

“Someone packed for me, didn’t they?” Grace was smirking and giggling, truly enjoying the secrecy.

“Possibly.”

“Did they pack shoes?”

“Nope. Explicit instructions. No shoes.”

She slapped his shoulder lightly and leaned up to kiss him. “I love you, Mr. Robustelli.”

***

When the plane touched down, Grace was practically vibrating in her seat. She’d figured out they were heading to Molokai about 10 minutes into the flight and she was looking forward to seeing the house. Now she was peppering him with a thousand questions, such as how long they would be there, were they staying at her father’s house, did they have bikes, did he know that if he breathed on the car even she couldn’t save him? Dominic was laughing as he kissed her forehead.

“I planned on us being here for two weeks but we can stay longer or shorter if we want. No, we aren’t staying at you fathers’ house, yes we have bikes and I promise to hold my breath when I see this precious car of his.”

“If we aren’t staying at Danno’s house … and you said we were going home … I’m confused.”

“Trust me, Grace.”

They stepped down from the jet and there was a sleek black Camaro waiting for them as well as 2 Prospects with a truck. Grace smiled and greeted them warmly, thanking them for obviously flying ahead and missing the wedding. She promised them a nice dinner once they were back on Oahu and they thanked her. Dominic helped her into the Camaro while the Prospects started loading luggage from the jet into the truck. 

***

“Dominic, this is Danno’s place.”

“Nope.”

“Dominic, I recogni … oh my god, did you buy this place from my Dad?” Grace’s eyes widened and Dominic smiled at the surprised expression. 

“I did not, in fact, buy this house from your Dad. However, as a wedding gift to us, Danno and SuperSEAL signed this house over to us.”

Grace gasped. “It’s … ours?”

“Everything but the car. The car is still SuperSEAL’s and we’re still not allowed to breathe on it. I’m not even sure we’re supposed to look at it, to be honest.”

Grace laughed out loud and leaned across the console to kiss Dominic, her hand resting against his chest and he put his hands on her shoulders. It didn’t take long before the kiss turned into something more primal than innocent with Grace nipping at his lower lip and Dominic’s hands sliding down her arms, grazing his thumb against her nipple. She purred against his mouth and he was the one to pull back, desperate for air. 

“House. You keep forgetting. We have to go into the house.”

Grace was out of the Camaro before Dominic even finished speaking and he laughed as he chased her up the stairs to the front door. She was leaning beside it as she waited for him to unlock the door and then she was inside, wrapping her arms around his shoulders to pull him down for another kiss, this one lazier but more passionate. His hands moved over her body, just as they had done the first night they’d been together. Yes, they’d made love and fucked probably a thousand times since that first time but this was something special … just like she’d never have a first time again, she’d never have another wedding night and he wanted to give her everything she deserved. His hands roamed from her neck down to her waist, using just enough pressure that she could feel him everywhere. Her hands were carefully sliding up under the white shirt he’d worn during the ceremony and once again, the callouses on her fingers made all the difference in the world. It grounded him, gave him a reminder that his wife was not gentle and that she was perfect in every way. The strength of her muscles, the softness of her skin and the callouses on her fingers would always be the things he loved most about her body. She was everything to him and he wanted her to always know what she meant to him. 

His hands slid down to the hem of her dress and he bunched it up in his hands, pulling it up to her waist. Almost as though she knew what he wanted, she jumped up into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist without ever breaking their kiss. He held her just under her ass, which pushed her lace covered pussy right up against his cock and she clenched her thighs, grinding herself against him. She giggled when he groaned and he caught her lip on his fang and bit down gently; now it was her turn to groan while he chuckled, carrying her through the house. He was thankful Danno and Steve had given him the layout ahead of time so he knew where the bedroom was. He’d bought new mattresses and sheets before they arrived and figured they could change the furniture later if she wanted. For now, his brain was concentrating on the wetness he could feel through the thin material of his pants and how hard his cock was. His fingers squeezed the cheeks of her ass and he felt her flex again, that silky heat pulsing against him even through three layers of cloth. Their mouths moved together, like the pieces of a puzzle that would always find a way to fit and he could taste how sweet her mouth was mixed with the taste of his own mouth. When she licked inside his mouth and ran her tongue over one of his fangs, the clench in her thighs was almost too much for him and he was grateful they were almost into the bed. 

He move his hands to her waist and lifted her higher, forcing her legs to unwrap from around his waist before putting her down on the floor and pulling her dress up and off, all in one movement. He took a moment to drink in the beauty that stood in front of him. She was still tiny, just like the first day he’d ever seen her but her body had filled out in seven years. The muscle definition in her arms and legs, the six pack abs and the soft curve of her waist was all perfect. Her breasts were as soft as peaches but so sensitive, he could barely rub a thumb over her nipple and she’d be wet for him. The flare of her hips that led to the perfect cup of her ass inside those lacy white panties would almost be his undoing. Her hair was long and free, hanging down her back to almost cover her ass and he sank his fingers into the dark silky lengths as he kissed her again, pouring every emotion he’d ever held for her into the move of their lips. There was no hunger, no urgency … just how much he truly loved her. He felt her hands come up between them, untying the string at his waist as she pushed the thin pants down along with his boxers. As they puddled at his feet, she stepped forward so their bodies were pressed together from chest to hip and he groaned to feel that lace rubbing his hard-as-diamonds cock. 

He lifted her again to put her on the bed and separated from her long enough to pull his shirt off and climb into the bed beside her. She rolled toward him, her fingers tracing her mark on his chest; done in the same rainbow fade from blue to pink but reverse of hers. On her back, the blue started with The Wolf and faded to the pink with the word Queen. On his, The Queen was pink and faded to the blue word Wolf. Her mouth came up and sucked at his nipple as she slid one leg over his hip, scooting closer. Now he could feel how wet and hot she was directly against his cock and it was driving him crazy. His hips jerked forward, rubbing himself against the lace and felt his Grace tremble. Once again, he was reminded of their first night … of watching her cumming while she rubbed herself against his cock. It was one of the hottest things he’d ever seen and the memory caused his hips to jerk forward again. Her hands were digging into his shoulders as she ground herself against him and she broke their kiss to look him in the eye.

“I love the feel of you against me, my husband. I love how hard you get for me and how your nipples are always so sensitive for me. You make me feel beautiful every time your cock touches me. I love when you’re kissing me, I love when you’re inside of me, I love when you carry me around like a caveman. But what I love most, out of everything, is how your heart sounds when it’s pounding in your chest against mine. I love seeing your response as much as feeling what you do.”

Grace leaned down and kissed his heart, dead center of his chest and rolled her body so that she was straddling him and he was on his back. Automatically, his hands went to her waist and he held her still while he thrust his hips up and back. Their eyes never left each other’s as she rode him through her panties, biting her lip as she began to quake. “You’re gonna make me cum on your cock again, mio lupo? Ruin my panties with my cum just riding against you? You like watching me cumming because of you? Your cock rubbing against all those sensitive places, rubbing that lace against my clit is almost like rubbing your thumb against my nipple, you know. The fri-riction feels hot and wrong and go-goo … fuck it feels good.” She was running her hands up to her nipples, pinching and rolling them so gently and he could see how hard they were. He wanted them in his mouth … to suck them harder and bite them and feel her clench all around him. His hands went from her hips to her shoulders, pulling her forward so her hair fell like a veil around them again. He didn’t stop thrusting as he took her nipple into his mouth and sucked hard, making her gasp and another gush of warmth dripped against his cock through her panties. He did the same to the other nipple and he felt it … he felt the clench and shudder of her body against his as she came against his cock. He nuzzled his face against her nipple, nibbling and sucking still and Grace never stopped shaking; he felt her hips grinding down, creating the same friction but he was fast reaching a point where he needed to be inside of her. 

He hoped like fuck the Prospects had remembered to put condoms into the bedside table.

***

Dominic was going to kill her. She was absolutely sure this was the moment of her death as she came for a second time grinding against his cock. She hadn’t even gotten her panties off and her entire body felt like it was buzzing. When he’d first led her to the bed, she wanted to feel every inch of him against her; arms around her shoulders, chest rubbing against hers, legs twined together. To be consumed by her wolf and protected by him. Now, she was desperate to feel him inside of her and she reached for the bedside table, making the assumption “fully stocked” meant everything. Her hand found the foil packet and she made a note to thank someone somewhere someday for something. In the mean time, she slid her body down against his, licking and kissing every inch of his chest and stomach. His hands in her hair clenched tight for a moment as she licked from his balls up to the tip of his cock and tasted the sticky sweet precum that was flowing out of him like an orgasm all it’s own. She closed her mouth over the head, teasing the slit with her tongue before sliding down … managing to get half way down before pulling back up, the head hitting the back of her throat. She teased the head, sucking and lapping and tasting his precum getting thicker and less sweet. Finally she smirked where he couldn’t see and she breathed in through her nose as she sank slowly further and further down until the head of his cock was at the back of her throat. She’d never taken him deeper than that before today but she wanted to … she swallowed once … twice … and on the third swallow she pushed her mouth down and felt the head of his cock pop into her throat. The gasp of pleasure from her husband’s mouth was everything she wanted it to be. She pulled back off before doing that again a few more times and going back to licking his cock as she tore open the foil packet. 

When she pulled her mouth away for the last time, Dominic almost whimpered and she grinned, stroking his cock as she slid the condom down his shaft. Once the condom was in place, she slid her body all the way back up the length of his and took the time to trace his nipples with her tongue and teeth. His hands in her hair, pulling her up to his mouth was reminder enough that she’d teased him mercilessly and they both needed him to be inside of her. She reached down, sliding her panties to the side because she couldn’t remember how to take them off without losing the touch of his body. Instantly his cock was pressed against her aching, soaked wet pussy and he was kissing her, tongue chasing after the taste of his own cock as he pushed up into her with one long stroke. She felt her death was imminent … the pleasure of how slow he moved, how hot she already was and the taste of his tongue were all combining to make her heart beat right out of her chest. He had one hand in her hair while the other was on the small of her back, pushing her down against him so she couldn’t thrust. He held her still, opening her up with his cock as they kissed and she felt like her body was going to come flying apart. This was better than flying the fields, better than chasing the burn, better than winning gold, better than everything she had ever felt … her body was quaking and she felt a fire licking it’s way up her spine, burning and consuming everything in it’s path. When the fire reached her brain, everything exploded and she was screaming as she dug her fingers into Dominic’s shoulders and came around his cock inside of her. She stared down at him but she couldn’t see anything; the roll of pleasure washed through every inch of her body and seemed to last forever while that flame licked it’s way back up her spine again … a loop of burning pleasure that had her hips rolling and slamming down against Dominic. Her eyes cleared … she could see him … she could feel him … He was looking up at her like she was Pele; the Goddess of Hawaii and he was worshiping her. His hands were … somewhere … she didn’t even know. All she knew was the fire and the ache as she clenched around him and she felt him pulsing inside of her, his head thrown back and exposing the cords of his neck. She bent forward, licking the sweat on the side of his neck and nuzzling against his body as they both went limp. 

The only sound in the room was their heavy breathing and the ocean outside. Grace stayed laying on top of him for another moment before carefully pulling herself off and laying beside him so he could take care of the condom. Once he finished, they were on their backs, side by side in the bed and she looked over at him; only to find him staring at her.

“Always, mio lupo.”

“No boundaries, mia regina.”

***

18 months later

***

“Come on Dominic. We said we’d meet Freckles and Amelia for breakfast,” Grace’s voice came from downstairs and Dominic finished pulling his cut on. 

“I still don’t understand how I got roped into Freckles duty.”

“You’re his best friend, he’s your VP and I need you to keep him company while Amelia and I go dress shopping.”

“Can’t we just tie him outside with a bowl of water?”

“I’m so telling him you said that!”

They both laughed as Dominic leaned down and kissed Grace. They’d been married almost 2 years, she’d just finished signing a contract with Yamaha to work with their engineers for an exclusive access to her new design of engine. The bonus they’d given her for the exclusive had surprised everyone, including Grace. Life was damn near perfect. It wasn’t without it’s problems, of course. SuperSEAL and Tech were currently guests of Halawa for another 2 years and they’d lost Malia a month after the wedding. Grace had been almost inconsolable but she managed to arrange everything for Malia’s service and held a brave face in front of everyone. At home, she’d cried herself sick and had curled up in bed for three days. Dominic had gotten to the point where he’d wanted to call someone when Grace assured him that she was okay, she just had to mourn. There’d been a sniff or two from the Feds into the money Grace paid to Red’s son for advertising but nothing had ever come of it. The Yakuza had kicked up a little dirt over some territory rights but Dominic had met with Wo Fat and they had worked it out with no further blood being spilled. And now Freckles was marrying Amelia, which gave them all another reason to celebrate. 

Pulling up to the house, Dominic thought he smelled something familiar but he couldn’t place it. It was barely a whiff and it was gone as soon as it had been under his nose so he brushed it off. He pulled his helmet off and waited for Grace to climb down before he swung his leg over. They hung their helmets on the rack just inside the door and the smell hit him again. This time he knew exactly what it was. 

They walked into the kitchen where Freckles and Amelia were sipping coffee and there was at least a dozen Jersey Breakfast Dogs on the table. He grinned as he sat at the table and reached for one. Freckles smacked his hand.

“Didn’t make those for you, dude.”

Dominic looked at him like he was crazy. “There’s a dozen dogs here. You and me are the only ones who eat em. You can put a few away, but a dozen?”

“Someone else is joining us that likes them.”

Grace put his coffee in front of him and kissed his temple before sitting beside him.

“Who else is coming?”

Grace reached past him, pulled the plate of dogs over to her and started eating one, making noises that he really only ever heard when they were in bed. He blinked. Confusion was making him fuzzy … Grace didn’t like breakfast dogs and Freckles had said someone els … 

“Fuck me, are you serious?”

Grace laughed and nodded, pulling a piece of paper from her pocket and handing it to him. It was bloodwork from a doctor confirming a pregnancy. 

“When? How long? Holy shit, you shouldn’t be on the bike! I’ll go home and get the truck right now. You have to be careful!”

Dominic was trying to get his brain to function and not be in full panic mode. He didn’t even realize he was crying until Grace wiped at his eyes and kissed him. “Gimpling number 1 seems to love breakfast dogs. Congratulations, Papa … you were right. Gimpling loves weird food and you’re going to have to learn how to make them like Freckles here does or you’re moving him in with us for my 2am cravings. Also, you might want to call Al. Some of that relish sounds amazing right now.”

***  
7 months later  
***

“Come on, mia regina. Just one more push … just one more and I promise, I’ll go find every drop of Chicago relish Al sent down and feed it to you until you burst. Just one more Grace,” Dominic coached his wife as she pushed. They were at Queen’s Medical and Grace had gone into labor early. The doctors had assured them this was completely normal for a first time pregnancy, especially in someone of Grace’s size. She’d been on bed rest for the last 2 weeks, hoping to cook a little longer but apparently, impatience was going to run in their family. 

The squall of the newborn baby filled the room, joining it’s twin in being really pissed off at the world. Grace sighed and was crying, both of them asking if the twins were okay. The doctor asked Dominic if he wanted to cut the cord and his hand was shaking so much he could barely see. The nurses swaddled the twins up and brought them over to Grace and Dominic, resting them against Grace’s chest. 

“Hey there, guys. It’s nice to finally meet you. I’m your Mama, the one that’s been giving you all that really yummy food and this is your Papa, the one that reads to you when Mama’s pretending to be asleep.”

Dominic looked at his wife, holding twins, a boy and a girl, and he fell in love instantly. 

“Also, just so you guys know, you have a LOT of Uncles and Aunties that are looking forward to spoiling you. And you have a Danno and a Pops that are going to love you so much. You are royalty, guys. Welcome to the world Dominic Robustelli the Fourth and Malia Williams Robustelli.”

~fin~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe this is the end. It took me so long to finish because I didn't want it to be but I'd gone everywhere I could with it and it was time to let Grace and Dominic and the rest of 'Auana have a break.  
> There'll be a few TS' and I'll probably write another "Sound of" for Danno and Steve somewhere along the journey but for now, this 'verse is being laid down for a nap.  
> Thank you to everyone that's come along.  
> Thank you to everyone who commented, nudged, bribed and glared Albert into submission.


End file.
